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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211102">Errantry</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twisted_Fate_MK2/pseuds/Twisted_Fate_MK2'>Twisted_Fate_MK2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Errant Knights, Knighthood, Nobility, nobility au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:28:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>68,253</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27211102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twisted_Fate_MK2/pseuds/Twisted_Fate_MK2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The House D'Arc is an old, storied line, with centuries of history behind it. And not all of it pleasant, even to today. Disinherited and cast adrift with the ancient, strangely mystical, sword Mort Noire - the Black Death of Ansel - Jaune Arc must regain his honor through deeds and, hopefully, take titles of his own.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Lavender Town I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrub Lord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Traveling had always been something Jaune wanted to do, when he was younger. At least, before he took Crocea Mors and the seat of his House, whenever his father decided that the time had come to retire. At the end of the day, that ship had sailed a little over a year ago. But Jaune of House Arc was ever the optimist, and always reminded himself that he could at least travel like he wanted to.</p><p>Even if the cause was different, that was nice.</p><p>What wasn’t nice from the freezing cold rain pouring down on him, blown in from the sea between northern Sanus and Mantle’s chill. His traveling cloak kept the worst of it off him, thankfully, but it only covered his back and shoulders, and his head once he’d drawn the hood up. The rest of him, mainly his legs, didn’t fare nearly as well, unfortunately and for one of the rare times he did it, he thanked the Gods he didn’t have metal armor. That would have gotten soaked and needed to be hand-washed, oiled and dried by hand and, without his House’s servants or a squire, he’d have had to do it himself.</p><p>Still, the old gambeson, covered in leather and cloth stitches as it was, wasn’t nearly as protective as he’d have liked. What he wouldn’t have given for a good coat of mail…</p><p>“If we kill everything then you don’t need armor, you know.” The familiar voice said, as always starting out as a whisper just behind his ear. It was like someone was riding behind him, even though he couldn’t feel their weight or heat. “And besides, we’re doing this to get you something more fit to wear.”</p><p>“And to help people.” He murmured under his breath, hands shifting to grip the pommel of his sword gently as he looked right to left. In the rain, it was hard to hear everything around him, so he needed to stay wary while he talked. “Don’t forget the important part, Mort.”</p><p>“Sure, yeah, and to help people.” His distinctly strange, even now after a year’s time, companion said quietly, “But mostly to get you some proper clothes.”</p><p>“This is proper.”</p><p>“Sure, and I’m a beautiful maiden trapped in this sword.” They said in answer, letting out a harsh, whispering laugh that as always grated on his ears. Even as used to it as he’d grown over the last year or so, it still left him with the slightest of headaches to hear it. “For now, don’t worry too much. I’ll keep you alive.”</p><p>“Because we’re friends?” Jaune smiled, raising his sword to look at the red gem inlaid at the end of its hilt. The closest he could get, really, to looking them in the eye. “Or because you don’t want to lay in a cave somewhere for a decade?”</p><p>“I mean…” The sword-trapped spirit, or whatever it was murmured, “At least it's better than that asinine box.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He murmured as his horse shook itself suddenly, tossing rain off of its mane and then snorting agitatedly. Laying a hand on its neck he laughed, “Don’t worry, Triomphe, when we get there I’ll make sure the stable has a blanket for you.” She whinnied and stamped a foot as they walked and he chuckled, nodding, “Yes, and some oats and nuts like you like. Arc’s honor.”</p><p>“I still maintain that nuts aren’t proper food for a horse, Jaune.” The Black Blade of Ansel, Mort Noire, said quietly, its amusement reverberating oddly through their whispering voice and setting the hairs of his neck on edge. “Oats, grains, grass- That’s horse feed. Nuts? Not in my day, at least.”</p><p>“Robots didn’t exist in your day either.” He pointed out, “Or guns like we have. Or movies. Or-”</p><p>“I get it, I get it.” Mort Noire sighed, the sound rasping out rather distinctly like a sword being drawn from a scabbard. Which was pretty appropriate, given that they were literally a sword. “Honestly, your kind care far too much for the flash and flourish of things. I don’t really understand it. Dead is dead, for Grimm or for Men alike, so why all the pomp?”</p><p>“You’re one to talk.” He grunted, ducking under a low hanging branch that had grown into the path. “I’m pretty sure that’s a ruby on your pommel.”</p><p>For some reason, mentioning the ruby - or the hypocrisy, he couldn’t tell, really - had always carried a solid chance of making the sword go quiet. Touching it didn’t, and others remarking on it - usually to ask why such a plain sword had been fitted with such a fine gem - didn’t either. As always, that lead him to once again considering the same question that so many people had asked. The one he had no answer for, aside from wry chuckling and unsure shrugs.</p><p>Why such a plain looking design for such a mysterious, powerful weapon?</p><p>Mort Noire, or very literally the ‘Black Death of Ansel’ was a simpler weapon than anyone would have imagined. Simple enough, in fact, that when he’d taken it from the hidden chest tucked away as it had been, he hadn’t thought it was valuable at all. </p><p>Its grip was long enough for two hands but balanced enough for one and made of simple wood, wrapped in soft, grip-furrowed old leather and capped by a plain, in places dented, dark steel crossguard. The blade itself was just as simple, around the same length and breadth as Crocea Mors, for which he’d trained. Above the guard the silver of the sword gave way barely half an inch up to blacked steel as dark as pitch, covered in scars and nicks that leant the weapon a weight of history alongside the weight of the steel.</p><p>When he’d decided to take it along, his first and only thought had been selling the ruby and using the Lien to replace the blade with something newer. But after that, well…</p><p>“You’re thinking about selling my gem again.” Mort interrupted his train of thought, as he always did, and then chuckled when he yanked his hand off the pommel. And away from the gemstone he had, as he always did, been rubbing with his thumb. “You know you can’t, Arc. It’s part of the magic that binds-”</p><p>“You to the sword.” He finished with a grunt, “I know. I was just thinking while we ride, that’s all.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Mort sighed, again setting the hairs straight on his neck and earning a sigh in return from Jaune. Quietly, the sword asked, “How much further until we get there? Empty, wet forest is scenic, and all, and I’m sure those of us with noses enjoy the smell, but I am getting rather bored out here.”</p><p>Like it had been prompted, Jaune suddenly saw the tree-line begin to approach and smiled. A heartbeat passed and they reached it, the narrow path they’d been following dying a muddy death as soon as they did. Beyond the forest, the land rolled gently, covered with spatterings of trees and brush and bush holding out against the storm. Everywhere else, though, the trees had been long since cleared out for several miles around the settlement they were headed to. Paths wound through the area, circling the gentle hills and capping them through the trees, and sometimes vanishing underneath tolling torrents of mud and rain. A few hundred yards away, cutting South as opposed to his Eastern approach, he could see a massive ‘proper’ road stretch down, roughly towards Vale, lit up by bright streetlights.</p><p>It was muddy, sparsely vegetated by sad, lonely oaks and pines, and miserable looking.</p><p>And, beyond it, Jaune could see the cluster of mountains that he’d been told to search for. And at its base, as promised, a squat little town that wound its way meanderingly a third of the way up the mountain. Through the rain and the dark, he couldn’t really see but, he was sure, he could see the lights of it following the shape of the settlement. They made it look a lot like a giant, sparsely illuminated hand was holding the mountain up, fingers wrapped around it like a man holding a mug from the bottom.</p><p>As always, he had to laugh at his own over-creative imagination.</p><p>“Lavender Town.” He nodded, “Just as promised. And, as usual, it showed up right when you got bored.”</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“So,” Jaune smiled, kicking Triomphe forward, “maybe you should just try and stay bored. Maybe there’s some strange magic at play there.”</p><p>“Ha. Ha.” Mort grumbled, “Oh yes, let’s make fun of the magic sword for being a bit impatient. I don’t remember you being locked in a tiny box for decades, boy.”</p><p>“Jaune.”</p><p>“Boy.”</p><p>“Do you want to go back in the box?”</p><p>“…No, Jaune.”</p><p>Laughing, the two fell into a comfortable silence as they made their way along the winding paths. A few times, Jaune considered cutting between them, across the rocky, muddy ground, to cut his time down. But something about it all gave him a bad feeling about doing that, told him that it would be dangerous to even try. After so much time traveling, he’d learned by now to heed instincts like that, so he stayed on the path.</p><p>Eventually, finally, they began to near Lavender Town. In contrast to its kinder name, it was a  mining settlement of some thousand and change people, carved into the ancient mountain by decades of miners and workers. At the base were refineries and protective military bases, both pumping out smoke that even from a hundred yards out had the air smelling just a bit acrid and sharp. He grimaced at the smell but, if the people living here could handle it, so could he.</p><p>At least long enough to do his job and leave.</p><p>“Approach slowly, keep your weapons away and prepare your identification!” A loud, static laden voice ordered as he meandered onto and up the empty road in front of the gate. He held a hand up, palm towards the gate, to silently signal he would obey the guard’s commands and then began meandering his way forward.</p><p>When no one told him to stop again, or shot at him, he assumed that the message had been heard.</p><p>The gate was open when he went through it, and wide enough for a few cars to pass through abreast. A few guards milled about around it, watching the inside of the settlement as much as the outside. All of them were men, and Human, dressed in old looking Atlesian uniforms that had been painted black with blue highlights around the plating edges and carrying just as old looking Atlas Pulse Rifles. Their helmets were fronted by what looked to be riot masks, with large, circular air filters to either side, that obscured almost all of their face, aside from their eyes behind their visors.</p><p>They probably didn’t have to smell a thing… Bastards.</p><p>They were chatting amongst themselves as he approached, but straightened on seeing him. Rifles held at the ready across their chests, one stepped forward and asked, “Ident-card?” </p><p>“Here.” He answered, kicking Triomphe forward and then turning, holding out the weathered plastic card for him. While the man looked it over, Jaune looked the squad over, asking, “When did Atlas change their uniforms?”</p><p>“They didn’t.” The man answered, hefting his rifle so Jaune could see the stock. A little symbol like a red flower, set on a field of green edged in gold, greeted him instead of the normal Atlas symbol. “Private firm. Rose ‘n Grass Security Holdings. Garden or home, city or country, for all your home security and asset defense needs.”</p><p>“Company line?”</p><p>“Company line.” The man answered, standing straighter as he handed the card back and nodding, “What brings you to Lavender Town, Sir Arc?”</p><p>“Lord, not Sir.” He corrected quietly and automatically, explaining simply when the man gave him a look. Or gave him as good of one as he could from behind his visor. “I haven’t been knighted yet, and I’m not military either, so I’m not a ‘Sir’.”</p><p>“Apologies, Lord Arc.” The man corrected professionally, clapping a fist to his breast in a greeting salute and bowing his head. Straightening, the man asked again, “What brings you to Lavender Town?”</p><p>“Work.” He answered, nodding up, towards the mountain. “I heard there was Grimm trouble in the mines. Nothing major, from the reports, but not something normal miners can handle. And not something the town wanted to pull guards off the wall to, either, from what I was told about it.”</p><p>“R’n’G are paid to guard the perimeter.” The soldier answered with a small nod, “Contract says we aren’t meant to be guarding inside the mine, too. So while we could, we don’t have the manpower to even if we did want to. We don’t, of course, fighting in those mines is hell for us normal people sometimes.”</p><p>“Who is supposed to handle it then?” He asked, “If you don’t, I mean.</p><p>“Mine management is supposed to prevent it. Miners are supposed to use seismics to scan for tunnels before advancing ‘em.” The soldier answered, turning to lead him into the settlement and out of the way of the… Well, no one was behind him, but they were probably supposed to keep the path clear. Laughing, the man shook his head, “Those animals probably couldn’t read the regulations, though.”</p><p>“Or something dug in.” Jaune growled under his breath, fighting the always hard fight not to bite the man’s head off for his typical Atlesian crap. Instead, he took a breath and said, “Point me in the direction of your garrison commander, Trooper. He’ll tell me all about it, I’m sure, and I have to sign in to take the assignment.”</p><p>With a shrug, the soldier pointed up at the mountain and answered, “Big building up towards the top. See the big block o’ lights at the tip of that climb?”</p><p>“Yep, I see it.” It looked like when his sister, Aqua, would put those little cone shaped chips on her fingers and then bite the top off. Bigger and brighter than what was around it, with a smattering of red lights amongst the normal yellow. “Is that where the mine management stays?”</p><p>“And the garrison officers.” He nodded, “Just head up there on the main road and you’ll be fine.</p><p>“Alright.” He nodded, “Good… Afternoon?”</p><p>“Evening.” The soldier chuckled, “But I can only tell because my HUD has a time on it. Weather like this…”</p><p>The road leading up the mountain, towards the management center, was winding and wide, and covered in sheets of water that made the surfaces awkward and slick. Off the side of each, roads. Stairs and foot-paths spider-webbed sharply up and down between weathered, dark businesses with sparse customers and old, battered looking living complexes. The main road was clean, and well-made, with just gentle enough of an incline to ensure that travel was if not easy possible. The side roads, though, were cluttered by old cars and trash that seemed not to have moved in forever, and old, beaten down buildings that even with the rain had people curled up outside them under awnings and outcroppings trying to rest.</p><p>Some were even wearing miner’s uniforms… With Faunus features obvious almost on each and every one of them.</p><p>“Suddenly, I don’t want to do this job anymore…”</p><p>“The work is good.” He grumbled, sighing and turning away from the Faunus, as he always did. As he had to do, without a title to hold or inherit that he could leverage for help. “And end of the day, these people will do better with money than without it. Even if I can’t help any other way, I can do this.”</p><p>“We could do more…”</p><p>“We could.” He nodded, laying a hand on the pommel comfortably and sighing. He knew what Mort meant, what they were suggesting. But… “That’s not the honorable way to do things, Mort. I have to earn a title, not steal one.”</p><p>“If you’re certain…”</p><p>“No, I’m Jaune.” The spirit of the blade laughed it's whispering, hair-raising laugh again and Jaune smiled. More seriously, he said, “I’m sure, Mort. My ancestors did this too, back in the day, and without your help. I’m sure I can do it with it.”</p><p>“As you say.” The sword said and he was sure they would have shrugged if they could. “Just putting it out there. Racists don’t like fire any more than anyone else.”</p><p>“I’m sure.”</p><p>“And I have some fire spells-”</p><p>“Mort,” He chuckled, murmuring, “we aren’t burning anyone, racist jerk or not.”</p><p>“Can we singe ‘em at least?” Mort faux-pleaded, drawing a wider smile to Jaune’s lips that almost made him feel guilty, with the surrounding misfortune he was passing by. “Just a little bit. Maybe so they have to get a better haircut.”</p><p>“Mort…”</p><p>“Fine, fine, it was just a suggestion.” They said with a rasping laugh that trailed off as they approached a larger building set against the mountain and, seemingly, carved into it. “It’s… Well, impressive, at least.”</p><p>“They always are, yeah.” He sighed, eyeing the four story complex with its bright lights,  tall windows, and finely dressed businessmen walking along where he could see inside. Outside, guards came and went, heavily armed and watching everyone that passed by like hawks primed to come down on them. “Even if the source of the money for it is horrible, big places like this always look pretty impressive compared to what’s around them. For one reason or another…” </p><p>“Yeah.” Mort agreed, “For one reason or another.”</p><p>“Let’s just get our work done.” He sighed, watching a Bullhead, painted a stark white with an orange underbelly and wings, lift off and soar away silently. “Once we’re done, one of those and we’ll be in Vale.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Mort said, “And from there, Beacon.”</p><p>And, hopefully, the acclaim he needed to do what he wanted to with his life. And bring honor to his family besides.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Lavender Town II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrub Lord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Inside, the Mining Corporate’s entrance was wide, brightly lit, clean, and predictably very Atlesian. The walls, the ceiling and the floor were all dul greys, lit up by several hanging chandeliers high above the floor that cast down cold, white light. Rings of black couches formed a waiting area to either side of the door and further in, filled by suit-wearing office workers, clean-armored soldiers and few others. Just as typically as the place had been designed, there were no Faunus to be seen in the seats.</p><p>There were plenty to be seen serving the seats, though, handing out drinks and food to those milling about.</p><p>So typical…</p><p>Muddy and wet, most ignored him as he made his way through the long entryway. His boots were heavy and weather, and sank into the rich carpet that marked out the winding paths between the sitting areas, the door and the somewhat distant reception desk. If anyone had any opinions about him tracking mud on the nice carpet, they didn’t bother to voice it. Instead, a pair of Faunus just rolled a cart past him to clean it all up.</p><p>“Sorry…” He murmured as the two passed. One, a man with one of his deer antlers broken off, paused and blinked confusedly. “For the mud. I, uh, couldn’t get dry in the door.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Sir.” The man said after barely a heartbeat, “It’s our job to clean up, after all.”</p><p>“Still, I didn’t…” The Faunus were already shuffling on, though, and Jaune knew better than to stop them. If they took too long to clean up his mess then they’d get in trouble. And even if he wanted to help, he knew that would land them in hot water, too. So instead he sighed, “Just focus on your job, Jaune.”</p><p>“It is all you can do.” Mort answered quietly, words rasping up along his spine like death was plotting out his grave. “And at least they’ll be safer, if there’s no risk of anything mean and nasty crawling out of the mines. Or, well, nothing mean, nasty, and also big and furry.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He chuckled under his breath, “I have a feeling that mean and nasty things come crawling out all the time. And I have to meet with one.”</p><p>“Yep!” Mort chuckled, “Just let me know if you want a little ‘hair on fire’ to spice things up.”</p><p>Chuckling, he stepped towards the woman waiting, stood behind the welcome desk with a polite smile plastered on her face, and grunted a short, “Lord Arc. I’m here about a job that was posted. Grimm extermination in the mines.” </p><p>“Of course, Lord.” She smiled, turning to the little monitor beside her and adding a parting, “One moment, please, while I check you in.”</p><p>“Uh, sure.”</p><p>“Ah, there you are, Lord Jaune of House Arc.” The brunette blinked, reading whatever was on her screen quickly and turning a smile on him. Stepping to the side, and towards a little door that let her out, she folded her hands in front of her. “If you will follow me, please, Guild Master Azure requested an opportunity to speak to you prior to you being dispatched to see to your work.”</p><p>“The guild master?” Jaune’s brow furrowed, “Why does he want to see me?”</p><p>“I’m afraid that only he knows the answer to that, Lord Arc.” The woman said simply, her face every inch the picture of dutiful calm and professionalism. He hated it, how sanitized and fake it was, like every word she said was her lying to him. But of course, she didn’t know that and went on in the same smooth, clean tone, “He had a prior engagement but I have informed him you are here. He will be waiting to meet you in a conference room he has chosen.”</p><p>“We don’t really have a choice here, sounds like…”</p><p>“Fine.” He shrugged, laying his off hand comfortably on Mort’s pommel and waving for her to lead the way. “But I hope he isn’t expecting me to look particularly great right off the heels of a trip like mine.”</p><p>“Not at all. Lord.” The woman said, turning to lead him down a large hallway that split off from the entrance. Over her shoulder, she said, “Guild Master Azure is quite used to the… Rougher sort that his work inevitably leads him to meeting. Traveling Errants like yourself, licensed Hunters, even bandits, time to time, coming in to make some Lien.”</p><p>“He does business with bandits?” Jaune asked, surprised, “That’s… Extra illegal, far as I know.”</p><p>“It is, if they are known to be pursuing illegal activities. Luckily, all bandit tribals entering Lavender Town adhere to a strict code of conduct. And all found to be breaking Kingdom law in the vicinity, or with an egregious bounty, are arrested and exiled forthwith. No exceptions.” The woman answered simply, the words falling from her with an obviously rehearsed fashion to them. After a single step she added, quietly, “None are so foolish as to start any problems for the Guild Master, I assure you. So you will not have any need to fear for yourself or your horse.”</p><p>“About my horse-”</p><p>“They are being escorted to our stables by hands as we speak.” She sad quickly, coming to a stop outside a fine, oaken door inlaid with bronze and turning on a heel. Flashing another of her fake smiles, the woman said, “Rest easy knowing that he will be well fed, brushed, and cleaned while you pursue your work, Lord Arc. All free of charge, of course.”</p><p>“Right.” Triomphe had been in need of a good brushing for a while, now, so he didn’t see much of a problem with it. Instead he bobbed his head at the door and asked facetiously, “The Guild Master?”</p><p>“Inside, and awaiting you.” She nodded, waving a finely manicured hand at the door, “Please, see yourself in.”</p><p>Inside, the building’s more normal Atlesian design gave way to something a touch more personal. At least, by the standards of an average mining Guild Master. Dark, oaken walls and dull black ceiling tiles were lit by warm electric sconces and old, worn wooden floors groaned under his boots. Floor to ceiling bookshelves, stacked high with every kind of book he could think to look for, filled the entire wall opposite the door. On either of the two walls perpendicular to it, and the door, were paintings of forests and mountains, split by two sets of double doors, one on each wall.</p><p>And on the last, to his right, was a fireplace, burning bright and hot, with a pair of simple looking but no doubt expensive leather backed chairs and a table between them.</p><p>“Hello, Lord Arc.” The wiry, oddly young man sitting in one of the seats said as the door shut behind him. Like many Atlesians, he was pale, with a well-manicured, brown moustache nestled over his mouth. Also a bit oddly, he was dressed in a very comfortable looking, dark blue business suit, the coat slung over the back of his chair to leave him in a black dress shirt. Watching the fire, the man gestured at the other seat and offered, “Warm yourself by the fire? The weather is dreadful outside, so I’m certain you’re cold.”</p><p>“I am, yeah.” He nodded, “But I’m also wet, and muddy.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about my chairs.” The man laughed, “They’re cheap and replaceable, even if they are comfortable. And besides, I’m sure that the staff can get mud and water out of them in any event.”</p><p>“If you’re sure…”</p><p>“I am.” Guild Master Azure smiled, finally looking to him with an oddly amused glint to his cold, green eyes. “And I will insist if you need me to.”</p><p>With a quiet shrug, he turned to find the large coat rack beside the door and shouldered off his cloak. It was still dripping and wet but he’d been told to ignore that, and so he did. His ragged gambeson was little better, of course, but he ignored that too and turned to head to the seat he’d been offered. After days and days of riding, rain, and nothing better than a stump or a log to sit on, and the ground to sleep on, he couldn’t help the groan that left him as he eased into the chair and felt the warmth of the fire.</p><p>It was a very comfortable chair, it turned out.</p><p>“Heh.” Azure laughed, the sound little more than a breath that escaped him before he could catch it. “Rough travels?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, untying Mort from his waist awkwardly and leaning it against the front of the chair, resting in the heat of the fire and leaning just a bit against his knee. Quietly, he asked, “You can tell?”</p><p>“Oh, easily.” Guild Master Azure smiled, “I’m rather experienced in dealing with travelers, so I’ve developed something of a skill in telling how they have been faring out in the woolly wilds.</p><p>He opened his mouth to say something but the man smiled, waving his questions off as the door opened and a quartet of servants, this time all Human interestingly, came in. Quietly, they set out two small standing trays in front of them with lidded dinner trays on them and glasses of something steaming and brown. Experimentally, he took a sip and grimaced at the familiar, bitter taste.</p><p>“I felt that some coffee to warm you up would be appreciated.” Azure explained amusedly, “Apologies if I was wrong.”</p><p>“You weren’t, I’m just… Not used to coffee just yet.” He said, trying not to drool when the servants laid a thick napkin over his lap and opened the tray, revealing a thick, well done looking steak and a hearty, gravy-laden helping of potatoes. </p><p>“It’s on the house.” Azure smiled, already cutting into his own when Jaune looked to him. “Think of it as… An overture, for some extra business I wanted to talk about.”</p><p>“Alright.” He shrugged, turning to his food to dig in and grunting around a spoonful of the best potatoes he’d had in a month, “What’s the extra business?”</p><p>“You are the disinherited Lord Arc, of House Arc, of Ansel.” The man said simply in answer, turning a contemplative look on him. “And you were made an Errant after you were-”</p><p>“Can you save me the lesson and get to the point?” He growled quietly, grimacing when the man’s brows rose at his interruption, “Not to be rude, but I don’t need the history lesson. I lived it.”</p><p>“True enough.” The man said as the last of the servants left them to their meal and talk, “To the chase, then. The last time the Arcs established a cadet branch, it became quite successful. Even before the tragedies of the last century. And something tells me your errantry will be much the same.”</p><p>“Hopefully.”</p><p>“Hopefully.” The Guild Master parroted, “As such I would like to… Get ahead of the curve, shall we say. To be simple, I would like our families to become friends. Allies, maybe, eventually.”</p><p>“We just met.” Jaune argued simply, pausing to set the bite of steak aside and turn a look on the man, “And as good as it is, a steak isn't enough to win me over.”</p><p>“Oh no, of course not. I’d never be that preposterous.” Azure laughed, shaking his head and smiling warmly. “I merely meant to… Offer it, and to make overtures in that direction. Like transit to Vale, once work here is done.”</p><p>“That was part of the contract your man and I talked through last week.” Jaune murmured, “Wasn’t it?”</p><p>“Yes, it was.” Azure smiled, “But I am referring to private transport. My private transport, in fact. Which is standing by to bring you to Beacon directly as soon as our work here is done. A sign of my good will and, hopefully, a step on the road to that friendship between us I mentioned.”</p><p>“Hm…” He didn’t like it, to say the least. Business men were only after one thing, and Jaune wasn’t sure how Azure meant to get it from him.</p><p>“A free ride in style is better than what we were going to get, Jaune.” Mort chimed in gently, voice carried on the crackle of the fireplace’s logs. “And you’re not really making any commitments, either. Maybe biting the hand that is literally feeding you isn’t a great plan?”</p><p>“I’ll accept it.” At least as a ride and a token of good will. But nothing beyond that… Instead of sticking on that topic, though, he asked, “What kind of Grimm do you have in the mines? If you don’t mind me getting right to work.”</p><p>“A pack of Creeps.” Azure answered simply, “Around a dozen of the little blighters. The Miners can’t possibly face them down, even if they wanted to, but they aren’t that grave a threat. My blasted security forces could do it if they weren’t dodging work through some careful bloody contract wording…”</p><p>“Might want to revisit that contract, then.” Jaune suggested with a smile, “So next time you have an easier time.”</p><p>“Already working on it.” The older gentleman chuckled thinly, “Take my Lien and then shirk their work will they? Bah.”</p><p>“Humans.” The strangely quiet Mort said bitterly, “Always looking for two things. The easy way out, and someone to step on.”</p><p>“I’ve been there, yeah.” Kind of, at least. More than once he’d done a job and come in for payment only to be told to shove off and given a pittance. </p><p>Such was life, though, for unlicensed frontier fighters like him, noble or not. And traders like Azure, too. Which was probably why he wanted to make an alliance with him, even if the idea was only something far off in the future. To make this nonsense less likely. Which was a goal Jaune understood more than anything else Azure could possibly have hoped to get out of this.</p><p>“Well, rest assured you won’t get that kind of behavior from me, Guild Master Azure.” Jaune promised with a wide, simple smile. “I’ll deal with them in the morning, if that’s alright, and be on my way just after.”</p><p>“That’s more than acceptable.” Azure smiled, “Enjoy your meal, please, and the fire. I’ll have you shown to a room after.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan, Guild Master.” Jaune smiled, “And thanks for the meal.”</p><p>“Of course, of course.” The other, older man smiled warmly, slicing off another chunk of meat and biting it off of his fork. “And thank you for your coming efforts with my beat problem.”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Once he was finished eating, more servants came to take his dishes away while a final one, again a Human not a Faunus, came to show him to his rooms. Why that was, Jaune had no idea, and after a while he chalked it up to the typical so-called ‘frontier pragmatism’ that tended to surround Faunus. That being that any Faunus hires could be, or become, White Fang agents. And thus none of them could be trusted to work close to important people or things.</p><p>Of course, no one ever caught the self-fulfilling prophecy that laid in treating Faunus that way…</p><p>The room he was given to use was small and simple, with little more than a cot to rest on and a bathroom through a door just inside and to the right. It was small, to be sure, and according to the servant - who rushed to anxiously explain it before he’d even had time to react - meant exclusively for overnight travelers and Hunters like him. A place to sleep before a mission and literally nothing else, with a phone set out on the nightstand beside the bed for if and when he decided to call in food.</p><p>“Not the best place I’ve ever stayed in.” Mort noted when Jaune leaned the blade against the nightstand and turned to peel off his patched, shoddy gambeson and underclothes, his only real pair of sleeping shorts laid out on the cot already. “Then again, it’s not the box, so…”</p><p>“Swings and roundabouts?”</p><p>“Pretty much, yeah.” The ancient thing answered amusedly, rasping out a long chuckle. After a long, quiet moment Jaune spent changing, Mort finally asked, quietly, “What did you think of Azure?”</p><p>“The Guild Master?” Jaune snorted, tugging on his shorts and taking a seat on the cot. “He just seems like your average frontier businessman trying to jockey a Noble for some weird, off in the distance payout. Why? Did you get something different from him?”</p><p>“Kind of.” Mort answered quietly, “But I’m… Not really sure what.”</p><p>“A bad feeling?”</p><p>“Definitely.”</p><p>“Hm.” Mort was far, far older than him, and magical besides. Even if neither knew how they worked on a fundamental level, he knew better than to ignore if Mort was feeling off about something. “Do you want to leave?”</p><p>“We can’t, Jaune.” Mort answered instantly, “Beacon’s Initiation’s last registration is less than a week out, and it takes that at best speed to just get to Vale from here. You’re seventeen, too, and starting Beacon at eighteen would be a black mark against you. Against you being Knighted.”</p><p>“I know, Mort. By the gods do I know…” He sighed, “But if you’re uneasy…”</p><p>“I’m fine.” Mort reassured him quickly, “Azure himself makes me uneasy, this is true. I hate mercantile types like him, always angling for the next coin they can slip into their wallets. But we’re here for a job and then we’re leaving. So…”</p><p>“So we’re sticking it out?”</p><p>“Yeah.” They answered, “We’re sticking it out.”</p><p>“Alright.” Jaune nodded, flicking the lights off and laying back in the bed. Gods, did he miss his nice bed back in Ansel… Even after so long, nothing he’d run across had even come remotely close to beating it. Or his mom’s stew… “If you get another funny feeling, make sure you say something. Got it?”</p><p>“Yes, boy.”</p><p>“Jaune.”</p><p>“Boy.”</p><p>“I will get a box to put you in.” He threatened, smirking ruefully when they only laughed in answer.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>A touch more character establishing, establishing some stuff, answering some questions, avoiding answering some others… Next chaptoir comes da murder. Well, of Grimm.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Zenith Tempest :</p><p>Nah, just commissions. I HAVE had a different nobility oriented AU in my head for a while, and may end up blending some elements, but this ain’t it.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Lavender Town III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrub Lord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Every inch of him throbbed when he woke up the next day. It was like he’d been put through a thresher, which wasn’t inaccurate considering how the day before had gone. He’d done his best, fought his heart out just like his opponent had, but… Well, it just wasn’t in the cards, some times. And this was one of those times. Pushing himself up on the cheap little cot he’d been unceremoniously dumped in, he forced himself onto unsteady, aching feet and then took a breath and focused. </p><p>Just like he’d been taught, he felt out each and every injury on himself and catalogued them in his mind. A list of aches and pains ranging from bruises to what felt like a cracked rib to a small gash on his calf where armor had broken and cut him. Each one was listed out and catalogued, one after another, until he was sure he had them all. Then his Aura flared across his body and he sighed, feeling the bruises and welts from weapon blows powerful enough to dent armor heal. </p><p>Or at least, felt the pain ebb away enough to ignore it...</p><p>Sleeping on the dinky little cot hadn’t  helped any, though. He missed his nice bed, up in the manor…</p><p>“Best get used to it, though.” He sighed, kneeling and tugging his trunk out from under the bed. Laying it on the old, cheap cot he opened it and grimaced. “It’s the best you can expect for the next couple years… Until Beacon.”</p><p>Inside the trunk he’d been given was a simple, light, padded gambeson in the typical navy blue uniform of House Arc. On top of it was a simple, dark brown traveling cloak and a purse of Lien with just over a thousand Liens. It wasn’t much, all told, between an unmarked Guardsman’s gambeson - bare, even, of Arc heraldry, which seemed to have been ripped off by the roughly restitched front - and a week and a half’s worth of Lien - but it would get him started.</p><p>Unlike the armor he was going to miss, changing into the gambeson was relatively easy. It slipped on over his head and then laced up the sides, the arguably vulnerable tie points hidden under a stiff, fitted flap laid over it. It wasn’t his mail and half-plate, to say the very least about the situation, but… It’d do the job.</p><p>At least, hopefully…</p><p>“Now as long as Saph delivers…” Like it had been prompted by his very words, he heard a quiet, almost meek, knock at the door and turned. Quietly, he tugged the door open and smiled thinly. “Hey, Saph.”</p><p>Outside, it was still dark and his sister was waiting, a large, uneven bundle in her arms and her head covered in a thick wrap that didn’t do much to hide her shock of blonde hair or her blue eyes. The rest of her was just as poorly disguised, wearing trousers and mismatched boots with a cloak tucked tightly around her in spite of the warm, dry night. Anyone in the world would have been able to tell she was trying to hide.</p><p>But the only guard he saw took one look at them shook his head and wandered off, head turned purposefully away.</p><p>“H-Hey, Jaune.” She stammered anxiously, holding out the bundle to him. He took it awkwardly, setting it down just inside the door while she explained. “Just some, you know, food and stuff. Stuff I could sneak out after the, uh… Celebrations.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He smiled, “I figured there’d be a party.”</p><p>“I’m so-”</p><p>“Did you get what I needed?” He asked quietly, kneeling to peel open the bundle. When he saw the ruby on the hilt he smiled, “Nevermind… Found it. Thanks so much, Saph.”</p><p>“You’re welcome, I guess.” She murmured, “I can’t stay long, though.”</p><p>“I know.” He answered, standing and drawing the old, worn blade free. Looking down its chipped, but still keen, edge he smiled. “Get goin’, Saph. Before someone important spots you.”</p><p>“Yeah.” She nodded, suddenly stepping in to wrap a hug around him. “Good luck, baby brother. And I-I love you. So much.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He smiled, awkwardly holding her while his other arm held the sword. When she pulled back he said, “I love you too, Saph. And send Terra my best wishes, too.”</p><p>“I will.” She smiled, stepping back and adding, quietly, “I, uh, also packed some horse feed for you.”</p><p>“Horse feed…”</p><p>“Yeah.” She nodded, “I won’t need it since someone stole my favorite horse, Triopmhe. A shame, too… We both grew up riding her.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He smiled sadly. Knowingly. “A shame, that.”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>With a sigh, and a quiet beeping of his Scroll’s alarm, Jaune’s eyes slid open to look up at the simple ceiling of his room. Sitting up and rolling his shoulders he chuckled, “At least I got used to the cots…”</p><p>“When you have them.” Mort chimed in, voice raspy as cruel sounding as always. “Same dream?”</p><p>“One of ‘em.” He nodded, standing and pressing his hips forward with his hands until he heard his back pop. Groaning, he explained, “Our first night out, after my disinheritance.”</p><p>“Ah.” Mort answered, “Well, I mean, at least you had some decent food for that first week. Remember?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He chuckled quietly, “Minced meat pies and baked potatoes as far as the eye could see. Made starting out easier, at least… I could afford some bracers to back up my gambeson and that saved my ass once or twice.”</p><p>“I think it saved your arms and legs, actually…”</p><p>“Oh ha ha, sarcastic swords are so much fun.” he grumbled, pacing towards the bathroom to wash up, “Remind me why I asked my sister to bring you to me again?”</p><p>“Fireballs are fun?”</p><p>“Fair.” He nodded, hesitating in the door to add, “I’m taking a shower before we head into the mines. You need to be cleaned?”</p><p>“Not right now, no.” Mort answered, “Now after might be a different story…”</p><p>After weeks and weeks on the road, with at best a cold river to bathe on, a hot shower was downright divine. And they even had soap, too. The kind that smelled pleasantly, like soft lavender and… Well, and death if he was stupid enough to use it before going on a Hunt like he was. It was unfortunate, really, but he traded it out for his scentless soap before slipping into the shower nonetheless.</p><p>Hey, if Azure really wanted to be friends, what was one bar of soap?</p><p>“Good morning, Lord Arc.” A guard, wearing the same older, somewhat weathered uniform that Rose ‘n Grass seemed so fond of, said when he had finished getting dressed and stepped out, into the hall. “I was sent to escort you, to ensure you didn’t get lost either on your way to the operation site or elsewhere on the property.”</p><p>“Uh, good morning.” He nodded, “How long have you been out here?”</p><p>“A few hours, Lord.” The man answered simply, “Don’t worry, though. It wasn’t a bother waiting on you.”</p><p>“That isn’t creepy or anything…” Mort murmured quietly, putting voice to what Jaune himself was already feeling. “He was just… Waiting for you out here? In the mostly dark hallway? Why, though?”</p><p>“Orders.” The armored man answered simply when Jaune carried over Mort’s question for them. “Like I said. We just didn’t want you getting lost, my Lord Arc.”</p><p>“Alright, then…” He doubted they were here over him stealing the soap, at least, and he couldn’t think of any reason for him to have been waiting other than what he’d said. So, Jaune smiled, “I’d love some food before I go in, if you don’t mind.”</p><p>“Proper breakfast?” The man asked, “Or calories for the job?”</p><p>“The first.” He always fought better on a full stomach, even if his dad had brought him up on stories about how bad that had been. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>“I have some calorie bars, Lord.” The man explained simply and shortly, which at this point seemed to be the only way he could explain anything. Turning on his heel he grunted, “This way to the cafeteria, Lord Arc. They’re serving nutty pancakes and sausage today, if I remember correctly. I hope that’s acceptable.”</p><p>“It is.” He chuckled, resting one hand on Mort’s handle as always, “Out in the woods, I eat what I can find or kill. So some pancakes and actual sausage sounds just about perfect right now, mister…?”</p><p>“Blue.” He answered, “Lieutenant Blue, Rose ‘n Grass Security Holdings.”</p><p>Jaune only nodded quietly, filing away the name for if he needed it later and letting the quiet man guide him. They got to the cafeteria soon enough, thronged by everyone else that lived in the building, and Lieutenant Blue stood silently while he ate. That was a bit creepy, but then, no one seemed bothered when Jaune glanced around, so he figured it was probably pretty normal for Lavender Town. So he ate quickly and quietly, trying his best to ignore the man standing over his shoulder.</p><p>Trying and, sad to say, failing.</p><p>But hey, he got his stomach’s fill in the end.</p><p>When he was done he told the soldier and the man nodded, “Are you ready, then, Lord Arc?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, “I’m good to go. Unless you’re hungry?”</p><p>“I’m on duty.” Was all the guard said, turning and walking off, leaving Jaune to follow behind. </p><p>It was kind of eerie, walking through the mostly empty hallways with the man and his stoic, complete silence. He tried to start up a conversation a few times, just to fill the void, but the mercenary didn’t exactly seem interested in one. Jaune almost got the feel that the man didn’t like him, even, but he couldn’t place why. Regardless, after a good while and no successes, Jaune gave up trying.</p><p>He had bigger things on his mind.</p><p>“Creeps are weak to fire and light.” Mort said as they made their way towards the job, “I prepared a few attacks to help with that. Ask if they know whether the Creeps have attacked the lighting system or not yet.”</p><p>“They have.” The soldier answered when Jaune once again translated the question over. “The cameras went first, then the lights. After they killed everyone that couldn’t get away and took the shaft.”</p><p>“Right.” He nodded, “That… Sounds about normal.”</p><p>“I’ve prepped a Dark Vision spell for you.” Mort explained quietly when their group once again fell into silence, “Along with a few of the usual fire based ones that you like.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Jaune murmured, adding when the soldier turned a look on him. “For the advice and showing me the way around, I mean. These halls are… A bit of a maze, I guess. I might have gotten lost without some help.”</p><p>“Mhm.” His guide nodded, stopping as they rounded a corner and grunting, “Here, lift number eight. It’ll take you down to the secure zone, where the Grimm are.”</p><p>“Ah.” He blinked, looking at the large, industrial lift at the end of the hallway. Heavy looking turrets had been placed overlooking it, and a pair of guards with them to actually turn them on if push came to shove. It was grungy, to be sure, but seemed sturdy and new, with a heavy iron cage lift open and waiting on him. “Thanks.”</p><p>“Orders are orders, Lord.” The man said by way of welcome, “Do you need more help?”</p><p>“Not unless you’re offering to come down there with me.” He joked, grinning and walking forward before the other man could actually answer. Waving a hand over his shoulder he called back, “Wish me luck, Lieutenant Blue.”</p><p>The ride down was quiet and somehow even more eerie than the walk to get there, even as well-lit as the cage-lift was by the strings of bulbs all along the interior of it. He could even see the outside fairly well, between the arm-thick bars. Metal and wooden reinforcements, rock, lights strung up where they could fit- It fit the same style as every other mine or cave he’d seen in books, television or in the rare instances he went into caves. Which was honestly rarer than one might have expected, at least on the last front.</p><p>He did not like trapping himself when Grimm could wander up at any time, looking for a snack. Midnight or otherwise.</p><p>“You ready?” He asked as a warning light blinked on and, below him, he heard the sound of a large set of gears turning, dragging open some kind of barrier. “Once we’re down there…”</p><p>“I know, Jaune.” His companion answered quietly, “And I’m ready, yeah.”</p><p>“Good.” Jaune nodded as the elevator began to descend quietly, “Because we’re about to be in it.”</p><p>The next couple of minutes passed by in silence and a steadily thickening darkness. Every inch the elevator groaned quietly down into the mine shaft, more and more lights had been destroyed, which meant that soon the only source of light were the strings inside his elevator. A few of them sparked, dying lights lost in the darkness that he could barely make out as he strode to the side of the elevator that had the light switch on it. </p><p>Laying a hand on it he said, quietly, “As soon as it’s out, Mort.”</p><p>“I’m on it.” They answered, “Whenever you’re ready, Jaune.”</p><p>Without another word, and just as he felt the e;evator jerk gently to a stop, Jaune yanked the switch down. Instantly he was cast into oppressive darkness, blinking at the wall of shadows until he felt Mort trembling beside him. Another blink, then, and when his eyes opened the world was a crystal clear universe of greys and whites and blacks. It was stark, to be sure, but he could see.</p><p>As pleasant as that was as soon as the door to his elevator slid open quietly.</p><p>The space surrounding the elevator’s stopping point was wide, open, and roughly hewn as could be expected. Huge machines filled the space, mostly, scattered around in a mess of a  roughly ordered chaos made up of tools and machines. And, scattered amongst the ordered chaos, was the mess of a more natural chaos. A more bloody one spread out around him, made of a dozen bodies and more, all scattered around the base of the elevator’s raised platform and cast in stark, bright whites and blacks and greys.</p><p>Some had been caught at the base of the ramp, backs ripped open by razor sharp claws. But others, either before the ones on the ramp had died or after he couldn’t tell, had gone down fighting. Pickaxes, hammers, one even had a jackhammer buried in the soil beside them where it, judging from the panicked claw marks carved into the stone, had killed a Grimm. On the ground, on top of overturned and destroyed machines, wherever they’d fallen, most of them had done so with a weapon of some ramshackle kind in hand.</p><p>And several of them lay near scattered Grimm plating, proving that they had taken down the monsters with them.</p><p>“Fuck me…”</p><p>“Not a chance.” They answered silently, “But… But I thought that the miners had been evacuated.”</p><p>“They never said that.” He growled, yanking the sword free from its sheath and holding its gently tremoring blade in a tight grip, “The contract only said I had to clear it out. And Azure only said that the miners couldn’t handle it.”</p><p>“Guess we know how he was so certain about that…” Mort remarked humorlessly, adding after a moment, “I sense something coming. Creeps, probably, but I don’t really know what could be drawing them in...”</p><p>“Good.” He murmured, pacing forward and down the ramp onto the flatter, open ground. “I need to kill something.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Mort murmured, “I wonder what’s bringing the Creeps in…”</p><p>Holding Mort Noire out in front of him, he ran a thumb along its length as he saw the Creeps bounding towards him, leaping off of walls and machinery alike. Smiling, he slashed down, through the dirt, and leapt back. As the creeps rushed on, almost a dozen of the creatures, he turned away and grinned. Mort, knowing what he aimed to do, let power thrum through the sword and set it trembling more as the power coursed. That lessened, though, as his Dark Vision faded.</p><p>And the Wall of Fire sprang to life, white hot flames licking the Creeps as they leapt through and setting them ablaze. Turning to them he grinned, running his hand along the trembling, magically imbued sword and setting it alight, too. Quietly, he lumbered forward as Creeps thrashed and chittered painedly, burning to death until his sword rose and fell on them, carving through hide and bone like a literal hot knife.</p><p>Revenge, at least, would let the dead rest.</p><p>Or at least, so Jaune prayed in the only way he knew how. By the edge of his white-hot sword.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Covered in ash and sweat, Jaune stepped out of the elevator, hand so tight on Mort Noire that his hands began to throb. Standing at the corner with a guard to either side, Azure smiled, stepping forward and clapping his hands loudly, “Lord Arc! I knew you could-”</p><p>“Did you know?” He growled, grabbing the shocked man by the front of his suit and hauling him off his feet. His two guards didn’t hesitate to answer, Atlesian rifles snapping up, but Jaune ignored them, “A dozen and a half miners are down there, or more. Dead. Left down there to- To fight and die.”</p><p>“What?!” Azure hissed, face morphing from confusion, fear even, to rage. Turning to one of his guards Azure demanded hotly, “Who was in charge of the mine’s evacuation?”</p><p>“Sergeant Teal, Guild Master.” One answered, fingers flexing along her rifle anxiously. “Lord Arc-”</p><p>“Leave him and find Sergeant Teal!” Azure ordered, slapping aside the rifle and then staggering back as Jaune released him. While the woman left the man stepped forward to seize Jaune but Azure intervened, growling, “Leave him. Both of you, with me.”</p><p>“That isn’t how I expected this to go…”</p><p>Quietly, jaune nodded and followed the man as he stormed through the corporate mining office’s floors. Guards and staff slid to the side as they went, occasionally scattering when Azure rounded on them with orders or demands. Soon, they reached the same office that he’d met Jaune in, where they’d eaten, and as they entered and the door shut the businessman stormed towards the other end of the room. One of his chairs was in his way and he hurled it bodily to the side while Jaune watched.</p><p>He made it halfway across the room before snaring and turning again, storming back around and towards the fireplace, which he leaned against to watch the wood burning within. “Lord Arc…”</p><p>“Azure?”</p><p>“I was told that all had been saved.” He sighed, “I assure you I would have staged a rescue had I known they were there.”</p><p>“I believe-”</p><p>His words were cut off by heavy boots on wood and the door slamming open, a matched pair of guards dragging in a spluttering, helmetless third who they threw to the ground. He was old, with eyes crowed by wrinkles and greying hair. Eyes wide and confused, he looked to Jaune, hand on his sword still, and then to Azure in worry and fear. Fear that redoubled as one of the guards stepped around and drew his sidearm, holding it out for either of them to take.</p><p>When Jaune hesitated, Azure did, asking, “Sergeant Teal?”</p><p>“Yes, Guild Master?”</p><p>“Did you report to me that the mine was fully evacuated?”</p><p>“N-No, I didn’t- Agh!” A crack sounded and the man fell back, shoulder reddening as Azure’s borrowed pistol smoked. The man tried to rise, to run, but the other guards were on him, hauling him up and pinning him to the wall beside the fireplace. “G-Guild Master!”</p><p>“Try again.” He growled, taking a report one of the guards offered him. Turning it, he showed the man his own signature, “Your signature, your report, your mistake. Am I wrong?”</p><p>“I thought it was-”</p><p>“You thought where your job was to know.” Azure cut him off, turning to Jaune and asking, quietly, “How many were down there?”</p><p>“I-I don’t know.” He answered, unsure of if she should intervene or not. “More, uh, more than a dozen, though, at least.”</p><p>“A shame I only have ten rounds, then.” Azure frowned, “You may leave us, Lord Arc, if you wish to. My Bullhead awaits you.”</p><p>“But what about-”</p><p>“His crimes are negligence resulting in death.” Azure said simply, “I sentence him to the same fate. My kindness to you has me asking you to leave if you don’t want to see it, but justice is set.”</p><p>Quietly, Jaune turned to leave as fast as he could. A few feet down the hall he heard the crack of the weapon. Sighing he pushed himself on as, quieter, it cracked again and again. Mort didn’t say anything as he walked, taking his cloak from a passing maid waiting for him at the dock when he reached the rooftop dock. Climbing in he settled back and sighed, watching the afternoon sky dancing along the fog.</p><p>“Well.” Mort finally said as they lifted away, the cargo hold thankfully empty enough to talk without fear of Jaune being heard, “That was… A thing, I guess.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He agreed, “It was.”</p><p>“Need to talk about it?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Alright.” They answered quietly, “Here if that changes. But for what it’s worth, that seems fair.”</p><p>“Yeah, maybe.” He nodded, “Maybe.”</p><p>For now, the job was done and he was on his way to Vale. Or, well, to Beacon, but that had always been the end goal. Years and years of end goal, in fact… He needed to write a letter home when he got through Initiation, then. Out on the Frontier there was almost no point, with how unreliable the post could be. But from the city to a well-established frontier town? It should be safe enough, and his family had to be worried about them.</p><p>And last he’d heard, well past eight months ago, his sister-in-law had been carrying, and he couldn’t wait to see how that had gone.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Little bit of frontier justice there, y’all. Shit’s fucked.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Smokey Panda :</p><p>Yeah, I’ve been looking at it a bit. Glad you’re enjoying it tho~!</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Shining Beacon, I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>A couple hours of air travel and he had at least calmed down, and moved on from the strange ending to his time in Lavender Town, even if he still wasn’t quite sure what to think about it. Most of the miners had of course been Faunus, and with how the guards had been talking about them, he’d assumed that Lavender Town was run the same way. Jack boots on Faunus throats, and him with nothing he could do about it but watch and frown. A bunch of miners left to die? Par for the course.</p><p>But instead Azure had been furious, and taken the crime out of the perpetrator’s hide without a moment’s hesitation. But why had he reacted that way? Because of what had happened, or for some other reason?</p><p>“Lord Arc, we’re in view of the city, if you want to take it in.” His pilot said over the interior communicator, dragging Jaune out of his thoughts. “ETA to Beacon is five more minutes, but most people like to take in the sight. Left side window, if you like, Lord.”</p><p>“Thanks.” he said, pressing a little button beside his chair to open the line from his end. “The view is great, from what I hear.”</p><p>“I think so, Lord Arc.” The pilot answered, a smile clear in their voice, “Let me know if you want me to slow down, I won’t mind.”</p><p>Inside, the Bullhead had been retrofitted into a high end transport, as expected of a Guild Master like Azure. Leather seats, a thin wall that split the middle of the bay with more seats and tables set comfortably around it, plenty of head room, and plenty of space to move around between the seats. The seats were the fancy kind, like you saw on television that the rich and famous used on private planes and airships. Between each set around the edge of the craft were even little mini-bars, stocked with snacks and drinks he’d taken the liberty of sampling. They weren’t great, really, beyond something to nibble on, but he knew better than to look free down on free food when it was on offer.</p><p>Out on the frontier, you never really knew where your food was coming from all the time.</p><p>“I always love a good view…” Mort said, “I remember my last wielder always made sure to let me see, too.”</p><p>“Not very subtle, are you?”</p><p>“I’m a sword that lights on fire every now and again.” Mort answered in their eerie, raspy voice, “Being subtle isn’t exactly something I’m very good at, no.”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Jaune undid his belt and dropped the sword in the seat next to his, where the little gem could look out on the city while Jaune dropped onto the other. Outside, over a sea of green and with the sparkling of a truer, blue sea beyond it, Jaune looked out on Vale. He’d been here once upon a time, years and years ago…</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Sweetie, I know you aren’t happy about why we’re visiting Vale, but can’t you at least enjoy time with the family?” His mother was saying from behind him, brushing his hair while he watched the green of the forest pass by below.</p><p>“Why?” His sister, Saphron, said from the seat across from them. “Will it make it easier to auction me off to some guy I’ve never met?”</p><p>“You’re fourteen, and you’ve been engaged to him since you were six. This is just to let you meet him, that’s all.” His mother pointed out tiredly, already knowing how this argument would go but pushing through the motions anyway because it was her ‘job as the mom’. “You won’t be marrying him until you’re seventeen at the earliest. Eighteen is the most likely, though, if not nineteen.”</p><p>“That isn’t the point…”</p><p>“No, the point is you being a selfish brat and not wanting to do what’s best for your family.” His mother countered acidically, patting him on the shoulder and smiling when he turned to look up at her, “All done, sweetie. You look like a prince, as always.”</p><p>“Thanks, mom.” He smiled, turning a look on his sister and asking, quietly, “Why are we going into Vale?”</p><p>“It’s to-”</p><p>“To take me out to market like a cow and sell me to the first offer worth a damn.” Saphron snarled, ignoring the glare his mother turned on her for it. </p><p>“That is not how a young lady should talk. What would your-</p><p>“What would dad say? He’d sigh and shrug like always, because even if he’ll hock me like an old t.v. at a pawn shop he can’t muster the strength to defend doing that.” Their mother opened her mouth to tell her to behave, as always, but this time Saphron cut her off, “Please, tell me what you could possibly do to me that’s worse than selling me off like a chicken that won’t egg anymore.”</p><p>“...One day, you’ll thank us.”</p><p>“Not. Likely.” Saphron growled, crossing her arms and watching the sparkling city approach. “When is Jaune going to get sold off?”</p><p>“He’s the heir to the family.” His mother answered warmly, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder while he watched the trees. “When he is of age, he and his father will find a proper match for him. You aren’t the heir, so your marriage is arranged for you. Just like mine was.”</p><p>“Because I’m not the heir…” Saphron growled, angry and confused, “That isn’t fair at all!”</p><p>“Life isn’t fair.” She shrugged, “I had to deal with this, as did my mother, and hers, going back hundreds of years. How fair would it be to let you simply run off and ignore what so many others had to face?”</p><p>Saphron stayed quiet, glaring at the oncoming city, and Jaune turned to give her a little smile before turning back to watch the trees.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Thinking?”</p><p>“Yeah, a bit.” He answered quietly, looking out at the thousands and thousands of glinting lights as they approached. “The city is beautiful… The sun bouncing off the glass of the buildings is like that place down south. You remember?”</p><p>“Waterfall Mountain.” Mort answered and, if he’d been able, Jaune was sure he’d have nodded. “All that water pounding down the mountain cast off hundreds of rainbows… It was beautiful. I can see the resemblance, even if I prefer the waterfalls.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, “You prefer natural places. I know.”</p><p>“It’s a bit more than preference, but okay…”</p><p>“We’re rounding the edge of Valean airspace towards Beacon, Lord Arc.” The pilot warned him, “In-call with Beacon traffic control now- They weren’t expecting you, Lord. Staff only expected people arriving tomorrow, but want us to land anyway. Their deputy Headmistress will be waiting for you at the site.”</p><p>“That’s fine.” Jaune said, “Tell her I’m sorry for the bother.”</p><p>“Copy.” They said, adding after a second, and sounding amused, “She, uh, she says that you can apologize yourself, Lord. And that you’ll, uh, need to get used to doing that kind of stuff for yourself instead of… Instead of making your servants do everything for you.”</p><p>“Ah.” He snorted, “That’s, uh… Pretty blunt, pilot.”</p><p>“Sorry, Lord.” They said, sounding anxious and contrite all at the same time. “She, uh, told me not to muddy her words. I don’t think she thinks very highly of nobility like yourself.”</p><p>“Sounds like it.” Mort laughed a long, dry, rasping laugh and then sighed. “Well, I suppose that puts her right up our lane, though, eh, Jaune?”</p><p>“Tell her I look forward to meeting her, then.” He smiled, releasing the comm connection and adding, quietly, “Apparently before I get something new to wear, but… Well, as they say, I guess. Swings and roundabouts.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Mort murmured, “Swings and roundabouts.”</p><p>It only took a few more minutes before they saw Beacon, shining like the fantastical castle it rightly looked to be, nestled against a high cliff overlooking a great harbor that reached miles out to the distant sea. Boats were busy at the dock below, preparing for the coming students no doubt, and workers could be seen all along the winding path that led up the cliff from the water. Above it was a small but verdant forest that capped the cliff and circled the Academy to the North, East and West, mostly hiding what looked like a decently built defensive wall circling the same.</p><p>Inside it, the Academy looked every bit like your average college, albeit surrounded by a forest and with greenhouses dotting the grounds. Presumably to supplement the food supply, and for classes besides.</p><p>“I wish we’d had one of these in my day…”</p><p>“You’re a sword.” Jaune pointed out, “What constitutes ‘your day’ exactly?”</p><p>“No clue.” They answered with a wry chuckle, “Just seemed the thing to say.”</p><p>He didn’t have much to his name, aside from his horse and a pack of spare clothes and basic equipment fit to function in the wilds. The former he was told not to worry about, Beacon had people on staff that would see to Triomphe for him while the shuttle was refuelled and checked for wear. The latter he toed taught and wore on his back, descending the ramp with a contented sigh for the smell of the sea and the cooling breeze rolling off of it.</p><p>That contentment vanished, mostly, at the sound of heels on concrete, echoing around the empty, partially sheltered little decking area.</p><p>“Lord Arc, I presume.” Glynda Goodwitch, alongside being the headmistress of Beacon, was a hard woman dressed in high end, well made clothes that hugged her form tantalizingly and sporting sharp, hard eyes that promised pain if he dared to let his eyes spend any time on the curves that showed. </p><p>“I am he.” He nodded, gripping the handle of Mort Noire tightly and pressing a palm to his heart before offering it to her to shake. “A pleasure to meet you, Lady headmistress, even if I arrived early.”</p><p>“And without announcing yourself.” She nodded, mirroring his action save for her off hand, which she rested on her hip instead, since she lacked a sword. “But I’m not a Lady, as you can see.”</p><p>“No sword, yeah, I know.” In a civilian setting, a sword was as good a way to tell a noble or a guard to one as any cloak or sigiled plate. Smiling warmly and squeezing her hand the way he’d been taught to years prior, he said, “But you’re the deputy headmistress regardless, so if you won’t take offense, I would pay you the title.”</p><p>“I…” She flushed, then scowled, but didn’t so much pull her hand away as gently extricate it. “Well, if you wish to, then I won't refuse. Just do as you like, Lord Arc, so long as it causes no problems.”</p><p>“Of course.” He smiled and winked, drawing raised brows from the woman, “I would never want to cause you any problems, Lady Headmistress.”</p><p>“Okay, you can roll that noble charm back a bit, now, Jaune…”</p><p>“Anyway.” He smiled, waving a hand around himself at the wide and dempty docks. “Thanks for letting me land. I’m guessing this isn’t the main dock, though, since it’s too small for the liner-carriers I’ve been told Beacon uses to ferry in the student body greater.”</p><p>“We do, and this isn’t the main docking area. That is out front, at the end of the promenade you likely saw on your way in.” He nodded quietly, remembering the massive circle at the other end of the Academy’s grounds that he knew now was definitely for Bullhead landings. “This is where students come and go in smaller Bullheads, typically on field assignments to the neighboring areas.”</p><p>“Whereas later years probably use the main ones.” He assumed, “So they can use larger craft and carry more supplies.”</p><p>“Astute.” The woman complimented, turning on a heel and looking over her shoulder, “If you will follow me, Lord Arc, I’ll show you to the auditorium. You’ll be spending a couple nights there, until after Initiation when you will be assigned a dorm proper.”</p><p>“She sounds confident you’ll make the cut…”</p><p>“I’m well aware of your combat history, Lord Arc.” She answered when he carried Mort’s words over, the older woman striding away purposefully and leaving him to follow. Which he did, trailing behind her a step and keeping his gaze firmly forward respectfully while they made their way. “The Lord Warden and Headmaster of Beacon Academy Ozpin also sends his praise along as well. You’re quite storied, in certain circles, you know.”</p><p>“Hopefully for good reasons.”</p><p>“No.” Mort sighed, “You’re storied because you flirt with every blonde woman you meet, like some sort of goblin.”</p><p>Wisely, he ignored Mort’s barbing, even if he wanted to point out the distinction between flirting and being charming to get a leg up after putting the woman out.</p><p>“Only for good reasons, yes. At least, in so far as I am aware of.” The woman answered, ignorant of his partner’s snide comments and turning to flash him a friendly smile. And thankfully one empty of the agitation he’d been afraid of, showing up as he had. “I recall reading about your venture to… Aria’s Villa, I believe?”</p><p>“Arias’Villa.” He answered, rolling the two words into one and earning a curious look from the woman. “Faunus name, Lady Headmistress. It’s pronounced just a bit differently to how you would think from its spelling.”</p><p>“I thought it was a Human settlement?”</p><p>“Partially, yeah, and it has been governed by a Human family for some years.” Because of course it had been, even though the ratio was something nearing sixty forty against. “But even though it was conquered during the Revolution, it was never properly renamed. The Valean government just didn’t pronounce the name properly, and they haven’t bothered correcting anyone.”</p><p>“A bit of an academic?”</p><p>“No.” He answered plainly, “A bit of an Arc, Lady Headmistress.”</p><p>“Well, I suppose Oobleck was right about your family, then.” She turned to give him a more appraising look that turned into a warm one when he raised a brow challengingly. “Prof- Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. He has quite a few opinions regarding the Faunus, and those who support them as avidly and consistently as your family has.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Not in any bad way, Lord, forgive me.” She rushed to say, coming to a stop and turning on a heel, one hand snapping up to catch his shoulder before he could walk into her. Letting him go and stepping back she sighed, “What I meant was that he supports your family and the causes they often fight for, Lord Arc. Not anything negative.”</p><p>“Ah.” He blinked slowly, mind working, “I feel like I recognize the name, too…”</p><p>“Rights Revolution to Uprising : A-”</p><p>“-Treatise on Violence for Civil Gains and the moral Justifications for Them.” Jaune finished excitedly, pointing one of his fingers up the hall they were walking down and asking, eagerly, “This is that Doctor Oobleck? He works here?”</p><p>“He does, yes.” She smiled, “A fan, are we?”</p><p>“Am I ever!” Jaune smiled even wider, turning to walk with the woman at his side, now, as they made their way through empty hallways that were almost cavernous for it. “I have his interview with Super-Sonic Blue, the world’s fastest Faunus, saved on my Scroll! No one could keep up with their sentences except Doctor Oobleck-”</p><p>“And he wrote what he said down to translate into a text-to-audio machine more slowly.” Goodwitch chuckled, “He tells that story often enough that I know it by heart. A fascinating person, with a powerful Semblance, even if it makes day to day living so much harder for them…”</p><p>“Not every Semblance is positive.” Jaune nodded, growing a bit more somber as they walked, “Super-Sonic Blue can carve his way through Grimm like lightning, but he can’t stop moving, or living, at that kind of speed. They’re so powerful but that kind of life always seemed so...”</p><p>“Lonely.” Goodwitch nodded, “Not unlike a life spent alone on the frontier, struggling to survive, I would imagine.”</p><p>“I chose this life.” He grunted simply, “Super-Sonic Blue didn’t. They just had it fall on their heads, and had to make do or die.”</p><p>“You chose to be disinherited?”</p><p>“No, but I chose Errantry and a pursuit to Knighthood and renewed nobility instead of, say, becoming a cadet family member or letting myself be married for an alliance.” And that he had been given that choice while others had not silk rubbed him the wrong way in more ways than he could begin to explain. “That’s already more choice than they had in what their life would entail, Lady Headmistress.”</p><p>“True enough, Lord, true enough.” She said as they came upon a wide, heavy door that she laid a hand on, smiling warmly. “As much as I have enjoyed our conversation, and would love to continue it, I have much to do today to prepare for the next couple of them. And though I mean no offense-”</p><p>“You’ve been forced to spend plenty of your time on mea, Lady Headmistress.” He nodded understandingly, “I’m to take care of myself for the evening, then?”</p><p>“Yes.” She nodded, “Make yourself comfortable in the auditorium, as best you can. If you need food, the cafeteria is stocked, if empty of workers. Use it as you will. I’m sure you can manage, though, given your time in the wilderness.”</p><p>“I can manage.” He nodded, “Is there anywhere I can get some better equipment for Initiation? I have Lien.”</p><p>“The Beacon armories and stores open tomorrow morning, so feel free to visit.” She answered easily, paying him a nod and adding finally, “If that is all…?”</p><p>“It is. Please, see to your duties.” He smiled, once again saluting her, hand over his hear, and adding a parting, “Good evening, Lady Headmistress.”</p><p>“And to you, Lord Arc.”</p><p>“So.” Mort said as she left and Jaune watched her, “She seems nice enough.</p><p>“Doesn’t she?” He asked, turning and pushing open the door to the empty, but nice enough, auditorium as he spoke. “Terrifying, though. In a good way, but still.”</p><p>“What is a ‘good way’...?”</p><p>“It’s, uh, hard to explain.” He chuckled, finding a comfortable corner to drop his gear in and then falling on his rear and sighing. “Remind me to get some new kit tomorrow. I don’t want to look like some strange bumpkin when I meet everyone.”</p><p>“I mean… You are a strange bumpkin, though.”</p><p>“Yeah, but I don’t want to look like one, Mort.” He smiled, “So do me the favor, alright?”</p><p>“Sure, sure.” The spirit of the sword sighed, “As you like. And a good rest to you, Arc. Before the next couple of no doubt hectic days.”</p><p>He only sighed, not quite looking forward to it but knowing he didn’t have any way around it. He was not one for crowds, and he knew the problems that could bring. But he also knew that he had no real option but to ignore it and push through. So, it was like so many other things in his life so far, in that respect.</p><p>He’d survive, somehow, he was sure.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Zenith Tempest :</p><p>Jaune was actually fairly highly trained, along with the rest of his family. Other events lead to where he is now, which will be detailed as the story  goes on. And I will return to Ancient Code as soon as I get to it in my rotation, which I run around my commissions now. I believe rookie is next and then it will be up.</p><p>Balweskm :</p><p>Glad you like it, and yes, Mort can use magic. However, it is not common, per se, though it may crop up time to time. More details as the story goes on~</p><p>Truck-Sama (Guest) :</p><p>Magic is not truly common, no, as I said to the Review above. More details as the story goes on~</p><p>Azure Storm :</p><p>Glad you like it!</p><p>Death trooper 900 :</p><p>Glad you find it so interesting~!</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Shining Beacon, II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>A loud bell tolling had him jerking awake the next morning, scrambling back into his corner with one hand while the other dragged Mort Noire up in front of him defensively, scabbard and all. Blearily he looked around as the bell tolled on, but the auditorium was empty aside from an old janitor sweeping by one of the doors. The man heard him move and turned, straightening and waving as if Jaune wasn’t holding a sword, and, after a hesitant moment, Jaune waved back.”</p><p>“Frontier boy?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, “A, uh, couple of years now. You can tell?”</p><p>“We get a few o’ you lot come in every year or so.” The old man said, running a wrinkled hand through his long beard to straighten it out along his stomach. Shrugging, he went back to his work, “Always wavin’ somethin’ around like that when first bell chimes on their first day in.”</p><p>“First bell?” He grunted, standing and adding, after a heartbeat, “And, uh, sorry. About the sword, I mean.”</p><p>“Don’t you go apologizin’ for your instincts, boy.” The janitor called with a simultaneously bright and wizened laugh, “They probably kept you alive out there. And ‘sides, what harm could you possibly do with a sword from twenty feet away?”</p><p>“More than you know…” He sighed, “What’s first bell mean?”</p><p>“Breakfast.” He answered, “Out the door back towards the dorms. You’ll smell the food ‘fore you see the building.”</p><p>“They’re making that much?”</p><p>“Oughta.” The janitor answered, “People should be arrivin’ here in ‘bout half an hour. New students, old, chaff what’ll be sent back ‘morrow. Don’t got many doubts about which of those categories you’re in.”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“Frontier boy?”</p><p>“Yeah…?”</p><p>“Then you’ll pass, flyin’ colors.” He answered, turning to point a long, gnarled finger at him and adding, quietly but loud enough to be heard, “At least so long as you don’t play the hero boy out there and make a dead fool of yourself.”</p><p>Jaune didn’t answer, really, just nodding and earning a dry laugh from the man. And then a dismissive wave as he turned back to his work, sweeping floors that already looked more than clean enough. With a shrug, Jaune turned to gather up his sleeping bag and supplies, toting them over a shoulder as he made his way towards the door. Idly, he flicked out his Scroll to bring up a map.</p><p>He had a map, he didn’t need to follow his nose.</p><p>Right?</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Half an hour came and went, along with a dozen hallways in three buildings, while he stared at the map and looked around desperately for any of the signs the map said should be up on the corners. Rounding one more corner he sighed and growled, “A-5? How did I get to A-5?! Where even is A-5?”</p><p>“The end of the avenue.” Mort sighed, more than tired of his wandering and grumbling, “You know. The one full of students.”</p><p>Turning, he watched the few dozen milling students and staff that were watching over them, acting kind of like a guide fence to direct the younger ones not wearing uniforms in the rough direction they needed to be going. Others, older and dressed in what he knew were Beacon uniforms, wandered up and around the boulevard too. But they moved more purposefully, in little groups of friends headed off to what he supposed would be familiar haunts for them.</p><p>“There are so many more new students than old…” He murmured, watching the oncoming herd. </p><p>“Yeah.” Mort murmured, “Almost twice, maybe even thrice, as many… That’s kind of weird, isn’t it?”</p><p>He didn’t know and, before he could answer, the quiet whump of an explosion muted by the building beside him had him on his knees, yanking Mort from his sheath in full this time while he looked around. Other students, mostly among the older population, did similar while their younger counterparts scurried back and then went to chattering amongst themselves. Standing slowly when nothing else happened after a moment, and flicking looks to the staff who seemed unperturbed aside from checking their Scrolls, he began inching his way towards the sound.</p><p>“Why are we going towards the explosion, Jaune?”</p><p>“Someone might be hurt.”</p><p>“Ah, right.” The sword sighed, “Hero time.”</p><p>The building was a class building which, at least, meant that it was easy to pass through. As he went he sheathed his sword, knowing how weird he looked with it out and fairly sure that he didn’t need to worry about an attack by now. It was lucky, too, because the small, soot covered woman that nearly bowled him over might have found the business end of it in her throat. </p><p>Literally, too, given how small she was.</p><p>“Who in the-” She blinked and shook her head and he could see the soot on her hair, too. She paid him little mind, shoving past him and grumbling something that ended with, “...here a ruffian?”</p><p>“Well she seemed fine.” Mort offered quietly, “Can we go now?”</p><p>His only answer was to head the way the white-haired woman had come from, so he could make absolutely sure everything was alright. Which, of course, earned a weary sigh and grumbled complaints from the spirit. But what did Mort expect? He wanted to be a knight, so he couldn’t not help someone.</p><p>“Well,” Mort said when they reached the blackened little crater and saw the girl laying in its center, “she’s dead. Can we go now?”</p><p>He rolled his eyes and flicked the little gem with a finger, stepping into the circle of sooty devastation. When he stepped into the sun and stood over the girl, she blinked up at him and he offered a hand, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I blew up.” She answered quietly, looking at the hand for a long moment before taking it and letting him help her up. Looking down at her soot-covered self she grimaced and then, for a moment, seemed to blur. Petals fell away and, almost like magic, she was left clean and fresh looking. “Ah, that’s better… Best Semblance ever.”</p><p>“You… Have a self-cleaning Semblance?”</p><p>“W-What?” She blinked and after a moment bounced back and away from him on her heels, waving her hands between them and scattering more petals as she did. Nervously, she rushed out, “No, no, no- My Semblance lets me, you know… Move myself around super, duper fast. It just, ya know, also makes me… Turn into petals, for, ya know, reasons. So the little trick I learned was to do it to get rid of gunk.”</p><p>“Convenient.” He nodded, “How do you keep your clothes, though?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Your clothes.” He repeated, “If you’re doing it to get rid of stuff on you, isn’t it tricky not to lose them?”</p><p>“O-Oh, well… Yeah, it was, back when I had the idea and started, you know, practicing.” She said, pressing her forefingers against each other anxiously and kicking the ground, all while doing everything she could not to look at him. Flushing, she said, “B-But I don’t lose anything anymore. I just, ya know, think about what I’m wearing and it’s all fine.”</p><p>“Oh Dust she’s adorable…” Mort murmured, “Can we keep her?”</p><p>Once again, he flicked Mort’s gem, drawing angry grumbling from him while he offered his hand to her, “Jaune of House Arc at Ansel.”</p><p>“Ruby.” She blinked, shaking his hand and stiffening in his grip, squeaking out, “I-I mean, um, R-Ruby of House, um, Rose at Patch.”</p><p>“I literally just met this girl but if anything happened to her I would kill everyone in this street and then myself.”</p><p>“New to doing the whole ‘noble introduction’ thing?” He asked, ignoring the very obviously bored spirit and turning to walk on, Ruby hoping to catch up and walking beside him. She nodded quietly and he smiled, “Yeah, I’m not super great at it, either.”</p><p>“You seemed alright at it…”</p><p>“Nah, that’s just the basics.” And he had to walk himself through it sometimes to get it right, too. Chuckling quietly, he waved a hand at his old, admittedly a bit ratty armor and added, quietly, “I’ve spent the last couple years or so out on the frontier, working, so anything past the basics are kind of beyond me.”</p><p>“I can see that.” He hummed and gave her a look and she flushed, stammering, “I-I don’t mean, you know, that you look scruffy- I mean you do, a bit, you kinda need a shave, and your armor is all messy, but-”</p><p>“Gee, thanks.” He chuckled, waving her off when she seemed to panic even more and explaining, “I know what you meant, Lady Rose. I’m not offended or anything, don’t worry.”</p><p>“...me that.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“D-Don’t call me that.” She repeated, louder the second time. When he looked her shoulders were squared, eyes boring into the floor as they walked. “I’m not a ‘lady’ or anything like that. I mean, my mom was, but I’m not. Not yet, at least. S-So please, don’t- Just call me Ruby, okay?”</p><p>“Okay, Lady Ruby.”</p><p>“Oh my spuds!”</p><p>“I’m simply joking, Ruby, relax. Also ‘spud’? Really?” He laughed, shaking his head wryly as they rounded another corner, passing by a library now. She grumbled about his teasing and he smiled, “But if I am to call you Ruby then you can call me Jaune.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Sure. “He smiled and shrugged flippantly, “Why not? I’m not big on the whole ‘Lord’ and ‘Lady’ and ‘Master’ nonsense anyway, so if you don’t mind, I won’t either. Just gets in the way between friends anyway, if you ask me.”</p><p>“W-We’re friends?”</p><p>“Sure.” He shrugged, raising his brow and giving her a look while his fingers scratched exploringly at his chin. True enough, there was a bit of stubble… “Why not? We’re getting along so far, I helped you out, so why not? Unless you don’t want me to call it that, yet. If you do then I’m-”</p><p>“N-No!” Ruby squeaked suddenly, bouncing around in front of him to walk backwards, grinning widely and tapping her forefingers against each other. Anxiously, but still beaming a smile, she stammered, “I-I mean, um, I’m not, uh, you know… Great with people. So, um, making friends is normally kinda hard for me. B-But if you don’t mind hanging around a weirdo like me-”</p><p>“I think you’re just fine.” He cut her off, smiling when she flinched and blinked up at him. “A bit. Uh. exposive, maybe-”</p><p>“Hey!” She squawked, “Not my fault!”</p><p>“-but you seem fine to me, so don’t stress about it. Okay?” Pouting at his ignoring her she nodded and he smiled, waving ahead of them and adding, quietly, “Now please m’lady, do show me the way to the auditorium? Or the cafeteria. Food would be nice…”</p><p>“Wait, you don’t know the way…?” Grimacing, he shook his head and Ruby pouted even more, “Whaaaat? I was following you, though!”</p><p>“Uh oh…”</p><p>“We’re doomed.” Mort sighed dramatically, “Absolutely doomed. They’ll find your dead bodies and off to another box I’ll go- Woe is me!”</p><p>As usual when the sword’s spirit was acting the fool Jaune ignored them, opting instead to flick open his old Scroll again and bring up the map. Sighing, he stooped a bit to let Ruby see it and started trying to work the mmap out with her. As it turned out after a few minutes of figuring the map out, they’d somehow wandered into the teacher’s dormitory, clear on the other end of campus.</p><p>Today was going to be a long day, it looked like…</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Ruby!” He heard as they rounded a final corner after twenty more minutes of walking and searching. He looked up from the map they were both huddled over in time to see a blonde missile rocketing towards them on an intercept course, heard Ruy squawk a protest, and stepped to the side on sheer instinct.</p><p>“I was so worried!” The blonde woman said as she hoisted her cloak-wearing sister up and spinning on her heel. Ruby wriggled but the blonde was bigger and stronger, so she couldn’t break free until the blonde sat her back on her feet and gave her a serious look. “You missed the speech, Ruby! I was actually starting to get worried…”</p><p>“You should be!” Ruby whined pitifully, dissolving into petals, finally, to escape her sister’s grip and rematerializing behind her and beside Jaune. “You ditched me, and then I ran into a meanie and exploded, and then I got lost-”</p><p>“Wow, a meltdown already, huh?”</p><p>“You!” Another new voice shrieked, Jaune turning in time for a familiar, small woman to storm up to them. She met his eyes and glared, then looked at his chest and sighed. “You can’t hide behind your raggedy little friend. Come out here and apologize!”</p><p>“I-I can apologize from back here just fine!”</p><p>“You blew me up, you little cretin!” She squawked angrily, trying to get around Jaune to face the girl. Ruby just danced around to his front, hanging onto him until the woman followed and then repeating it a few times until she got tired. “I lost  so much Lien in Dust to that! And you nearly ruined my skirts, too!”</p><p>“Oh my god you actually exploded…”</p><p>“Both of you, hold!” Jaune snapped loudly, drawing on old experiences dealing with this kind of nonsense in Ansel. Both blinked and backed away as he turned to look at them both, scowling. “Both of you, breathe. First, names, from everyone.”</p><p>“I’m, uh, Yang.” The blonde waved from behind her sister, “Yang Xiao Long.”</p><p>“Wait, I thought you were sisters…?”</p><p>“Marriage.” The blonde explained, cocking a hip and folding her arms like she was ready to defend herself from… Something. “It’s, uh, kind of a mystery on if we’re actually sisters or not, you know, literally speaking. But as far as anyone I give a damn to hear from, we’re sisters.”</p><p>“Fair.” He shrugged, pointing at Ruby. “Next.”</p><p>“R-Ruby of House Rose at Patch.” She stammered out, doing her very best to stand up straight and meet Weiss’ eyes.</p><p>Eyes that, to his surprise, widened just a hair. So she hadn’t even known who Ruby was, she’d just walked up to start yelling? Well then…</p><p>“You’re nobility?” The white haired woman asked, surprisingly quiet and then grimacing when Ruby nodded. Shaking her head slightly she waved a hand at her, “B-But you’re not wearing a sword! Or bearing a crest!”</p><p>“Yeah I am.” Ruby said, turning and pushing a hip out, pointing at the little silver flower hanging on it. “Roses never wear swords, V-Valean tradition or not. We wear silver flowers, to symbolize our, um, our historical independence from Vale! It’s even made from silver mined in Patch’s mountain!”</p><p>“O-Oh.” She blinked, “I didn’t mean to- If I’d known you were nobility, I wouldn’t have-” She shook off her surprise quickly, curtsying in the Atlesian way and going on more firmly, “I’d have acted differently, Lady Rose. I apologize for my, um, behavior. I am Lady Aspirant Weiss Schnee, of the Schnee Dust Corporation.”</p><p>“Aspirant?”</p><p>“It means she’s a merchant family daughter.” He explained simply, crossing his arms and flicking a gaze to the young Rose. “From a family with enough wealth to look like nobility, but none of the titular parts that make them actual nobles.”</p><p>“We’re being considered by the Merchant Council of Atlas for title grants.” The woman defended quietly as she straightened, suddenly all cool diplomacy and cordial smiles now that they had names to back them up. “I do apologize for my behavior earlier. The stress of the trip, you know.”</p><p>“Mhm.” He’d been in a mine full of Grimm and corpses yesterday, he knew what stress was. And what honeyed words were, too, he was nobility. “If you’re all at peace, then, we can all go on our way.”</p><p> </p><p>“B-But, Lord Arc, I was…” She paused for a heartbeat, searching for an excuse to keep him - them - there. “Hoping to make amends more thoroughly. Your armor is in bad repair, no doubt due to your journeys since your, ahem, incident. So please, as a proper apology, allow me to aid you in replacing it.”</p><p>“Armor is expensive.” He sighed, knowing that, disinherited or not, if he was too much of a dick to her it would blow back on his family. “I couldn’t possibly agree to let you do that. Especially when you insulted Lady Rose far more than me. In my state, I’m not surprised you didn’t recognize me.”</p><p>“I-I would be more than happy to find a suitable gift for her, as well.” Weiss promised, hands folded primly in front of herself and her smile just as cool and cordial as always. “She does not wear a sword, but perhaps a new dress? Dust for her work? Surely, the Schnee Dust Corporation can arrange something suitable.”</p><p>“Nope!” Ruby smiled, “As long as you stop yelling at me, I’m willing to, you know, pretend it never happened.”</p><p>“B-But I-” She blinked, and at least Ruby’s flippant dismissal seemed to break that familiar, insufferable smile of hers. Coughing into a fist, she rushed, “I-I would like to insist. Please, I would rather our family be friends than have any darkened stars hanging between us. You must allow me to do something for-”</p><p>“She said no.” Yang grunted quietly, stepping up beside her sister and laying a hand on the confused young woman’s shoulder. Smiling almost viciously, “But if you really wanna give us somethin’... How about your dress?”</p><p>“M-My dress?” Even Jaune’s brow rose at that, but Weiss seemed unperturbed and forced a stiff smile. “I-I suppose that can be, uh, arranged. I could have it cleaned and delivered later, if you-”</p><p>“Nope, I want it now.” Yang grunted, ignoring how her sister pouted and whined her name. “Go on then. Hand it over, if you’re that up in arms to make us all be friends.”</p><p>“I-I surely- I mean you can’t really think-”</p><p>“Just leave us be, Schnee.” Jaune growled finally, more than tired of dealing with the fake smiles and platitudes. Not to mention who was pushing them, of course… “Besides, Schnees and Arcs already have plenty between them. Nothing you give me here now that you know you can make some Lien off it somehow will fix the shit your family pulls up in Mantle and Atlas.”</p><p>“Uh oh…” Mort murmured, “Jaune, try to calm down. I know you don’t like when people act like this but-”</p><p>“Are you actually going to spit on a friendly offer because of-of baseless rumors and un-cited hearsay?” Weiss gasped, glaring and shaking her head. When Jaune only grunted and crossed his arms she frowned more deeply and turned on a heel, “Very well then. I suppose I really shouldn’t expect anything else from someone who was disinherited, after all.”</p><p>“You little-” He took a step to follow her but a small hand on his arm stopped him and, quietly, he looked down at it and then up to its owner. “Ruby?”</p><p>“Weiss.” The white-haired woman turned, cocking her head and raising an eyebrow. Firmly, more-so than any other thing Ruby had said that day, the young Rose said, “You’re a really bad person. As the only remaining member of House Rose, I refuse any ties between our families of any kind until that changes. Please notify your father that Patch will be sourcing our Dust from elsewhere, if you don’t mind.”</p><p>“W-What, but he-”</p><p>“Come on, guys.” Ruby murmured, turning to leave and physically tugging him with her. “Let’s find the cafeteria if we can. I’m starving over here!”</p><p>“Oooh, I wonder if they have any steak!” Yang cheered while they walked away and Jaune turned to pay a look over his shoulder.</p><p>Weiss watched them go, eyes wide and one hand half-reaching out, towards them. When she saw him looking, though, it vanished. And she spun on a heel, marching pointedly away from them.</p><p>“Hey, Lover Boy.” He grunted as powerful arms wrapped around his off arm, pressing them into something… Warm and soft that he didn’t dare look at. Instead, he met sparkling lavender eyes and Yang asked, “I hear you played the knight in shining armor for my baby sis, huh? Making a move, are we?”</p><p>“Yaaaaaaaaang!”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Zenith Tempest :</p><p>Well, pairings are not decided on this one, so I won’t confirm or deny for that kind of reason. I will say that wasn’t my intention, I’m trying to sell character stuff about Jaune before introducing Wei- Others so that his different behaviors are notable.</p><p>No More Hashtag :</p><p>Inside the Walls, civilians would have no real need of weaponry OR Aura. And in fact both could cause a lot of problems. What if a young thief has Aura that lets them turn invisible, for instance *looks at May*? Easier to just, ya know, not do that.</p><p>As for the ‘not wearing a sword’ thing, that was world-building to common tradition in-universe. Not a statement to IRL stuff. Apologies if that caused any confusion. I am keeping that comment in my notes though! Useful stuff.</p><p>I also like the idea about Mechashift being expensive, and thus more naturally restricted to nobility and the wealthy.</p><p>Hatedom Boi (Guest) :</p><p>Rooster teeth apologist? Pffft. I write following lessons drawn from RWBY and RVB. If I impress, it is due to what I have learned from RT.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Shining Beacon, III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>In spite of the fact that the semester hadn’t actually started yet, the commissary building that adjoined the frankly massive cafeteria was already both stocked and busy. Students, mostly dressed in their uniform and all clearly among the older years, were already thronging Dust and supply stores for whatever they needed. The commissary itself was three floors, as tall as the cafeteria connected to it was, with each floor split by a wide walkway lined by stores on either side. At the end of each wide pathway were winding sets of stairs set to either side of a large lift. There were even plants, mostly small trees and flowers, down the middle of each walkway with benches set around them for people to rest on.</p><p>“It’s like a shopping mall…” Mort murmured, “Remember that one we saw at Arclight? It’s like that one.”</p><p>He couldn’t properly answer of course, not with the two sisters to either side of him chatting quietly. But he did hum and share Mort’s thoughts with them, to let the sword spirit at least kind of talk to the other two. It wasn’t much, but it was all he could do for his imprisoned comrade.</p><p>“Does it really?” Ruby asked quietly, flicking a look at her larger sister. “You used to sail into Vale to visit the malls, right?”</p><p>“Oh yeah, Vale always had better stuff in than Patch did. And thanks to the lil’ princess here-”</p><p>“Yaaaaaang, come on!”</p><p>“-I used to be able to catch free fare whenever I wanted to cruise on over.” Yang laughed, letting her lavender eyes roll around the stores as they walked. Her sister glared at her for it, but Yang ignored her, sighing contently like a woman right at home, “And yeah, this about has it on the nose. Minus the screaming kids, but eh, can’t mimic it perfectly.”</p><p>“Would you want to mimic that, though?” Jaune asked quietly, memories of exactly that ringing shrilly in his head. “It was definitely not my favorite part of the one I went to.”</p><p>“I mean, yeah.” Yang guffawed, shaking her head and turning on a heel, walking backwards ahead of them so she could point at him. “C’mon, Lover Boy. think about it. How else are you supposed to laugh at all the people trying to play ‘who can herd the army of kids’?”</p><p>“That sounds like a terrible game…”</p><p>“No, no, I think she’s onto something.” Mort whispered conspiratorially, the sound warbling in the back of his mind eerily. “Watching stupid people suffer is a great past time, after all.”</p><p>For the five hundredth time, it felt like now, he thumped Mort’s gem meaningfully and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Don’t you worry, My Lord,” Yang grinned, flashing a weak pantomime of a quick bow and then bouncing on her heel to get back to his side when he and her sister walked by her, “we’ll make a people watcher outta you yet.”</p><p>“People watcher?”</p><p>“It’s this weird made up thing Yang says she is-”</p><p>“Hey!” The blonde shouted, “I didn’t make nothin’ up! It’s on Google!”</p><p>“-because she likes to sit down and make up stories about people she sees doin’ stuff.” Ruby finished explaining without the faintest care for her sister’s interruption, sticking her tongue out at the older woman when Yang did the same. Laughing, Ruby shrugged, “It’s, ya know… Just a thing she does.”</p><p>“Like you and your tinkering?”</p><p>“Hey.” Ruby held up a hand, eyebrows raised challenginyl. “My tinkering is useful. How else would I have made a compactable, fully functional, high-caliber sniper-scythe mecha-shifter amalgam?”</p><p>“Pardon?”</p><p>“Her scythe is also a gun.” Yang explained jovially, turning to point at a store as they reached it, “And this is one of the best combat gear places for armor bois like you I know of. Big name place, been told by friends o’ mine that they do great work and aren’t shitheads.”</p><p>“And that means…?”</p><p>“She’s saying that they aren’t racists, and that their stores are all co-ops working the same schematics and styles as the original and sharing the name. So, no employees are being taken advantage of.” A young woman on a nearby bench explained quietly, voice barely reaching him over the dull roar of the sparse crowds and stores. Bare ears flicking, the woman flicked her gaze up from her book and tapping her very well fitted leggings purposefully, “And for the record, they do great work even for people that don’t wear traditional armor, too.”</p><p>“As long as the price isn’t too steep…” He grimaced, searching her face for… Something that would explain why she seemed familiar to him. When he failed, he simply shrugged, “I’ve been working the frontier for a couple years, so money isn’t… Great.”</p><p>“They aren’t, unless you make custom orders.” She assured him, smiling and deftly slipping a piece of paper into her book to mark it as she stood. Shrugging she added, quietly but jokingly, “Or buy a suit of plates.”</p><p>“Coats of plates are always expensive, yeah.” Exorbitantly so, in fact, if you wanted anything that was actually worth wearing. Finally remembering his manners he gripped the top of his sheath and pressed a fist to his heart, bowing his head. “Lord Jaune of House Arc at Ansel, Errant. This is Lady Ruby of House Rose at Patch and her sister, Yang Xiao Long.”</p><p>“Of…?”</p><p>“Of None-Ya.” Yang grunted with a roguish little smile, leaning on his shoulder as he straightened and making him stay stooped. The Faunus blinked, and Yang added with a bright, energizing laugh, “None Ya Business!”</p><p>“I hate you so much…”</p><p>“Nah!” Yang laughed, slipping around him and wrapping the girl up in a bear hug before she could scramble away. Hefting her up she laughed and squeezed the groaning, whining young woman, “You love me!”</p><p>“Nein!” Ruby whined, “No love!”</p><p>“Who else will make you your cookies?”</p><p>“I love your cookies! You’re just the delivery system!” Ruby whined pitifully, slapping her fist against her sister’s head and shoulders uselessly, the woman’s Aura barely sparking for the blows. Yang finally released her and she vanished in a ball of petals, flitting around behind him and using him as a shield while she stuck her tongue out, “Jerk!”</p><p>“Well they’re certainly… Entertaining.” The Faunus laughed, shaking her head and leaning back in her seat, one arm stretched comfortably out along its back. Bowing her head slightly, the woman introduced herself, “Blake Midnight. I’m not a noble, I’m afraid.”</p><p>“Midnight is the illegitimate name for Menagerie, right?” Jaune asked, “Like Snow in Atlas, or Tin in Mantle?”</p><p>“Yes.” Her ears pressed flat to her head, eyes narrow, “Is that a problem?”</p><p>“No, I was just making sure I remember right.” He smiled, waving her off and shrugging as he turned to look at the store they’d been talking about before. “I’m an Arc, remember? And, well, there’s plenty of ‘Rusts’ in Ansel, after the Rights Revolution.”</p><p>“Some would say your family chose the wrong side…”</p><p>“Probably.” He nodded grimly, the same age old conversation playing through his head. And with it, his answer to the thousand and change times he’d been asked the same sort of thing by strangers on the road. “But doing what’s right isn’t always the smartest thing. A mother isn’t smart when she tries to fist fight an Ursa while her kid runs. But she is right.”</p><p>“Well, setting aside that the Faunus are literal children in this analogy…” Blake sighed quietly, shaking her head and rolling her eyes like she was simultaneously amused and exhausted by something. “That’s not a bad response to have. Doing what’s right should be the only option anyone looks at, even if it’s not particularly fun for them…”</p><p>“Life isn’t meant to be about having fun.” Jaune answered quietly, watching the two sisters squabble about a foot away without an apparent care in the world. “But we can make it about being just, if we want to.”</p><p>“Good words.” The woman said, straightening and turning to leave, her book tucked under her arm. “Good luck at Initiation, Lord Arc. We could use more Huntsmen with justice on their mind out in the world.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He agreed, “We definitely could.”</p><p>He watched the woman leave with a small frown, her face still playing through his mind familiarly. Had he met her somewhere, maybe? But he was sure he’d have remembered someone like her, if only for the very distinct black and white she wore. But for the life of him, he just couldn’t manage to place her face anywhere. And as silly as it was, it was beginning to bother him just a bit.</p><p>“Already looking for your next lady, Arc?” He turned around, one brow raised, as Yang fell into the seat the woman had vacated, arms spread along its back and one leg resting over her knee. Smirking, she bobbed her head the way Blake had gone, “I don’t blame you, Lover Boy. The Kitty does have a great rear end…”</p><p>“You are a pervert.” Ruby remarked, prodding her sister’s shoulder and turning, “I’m gonna go stock up on HE tips for Initiation, perv. See ya later, Jaune!”</p><p>“Okay so first of all, that is racist as hell.” He said when the young Rose was out of ear-shot. The blonde laughed, smiling roguishly in a way that told him she’d meant to get that reaction out of him. Ignoring her nettling, then, he sighed and said, “And I wasn’t looking at her behind.”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“No.” He nodded meaningfully, folding his arms and eyeing the spot beside her until she rolled her eyes and scooted over just enough to give him space. Taking the seat he frowned, “I just…. I felt like I recognized her face, from somewhere.”</p><p>“Old flame, maybe?”</p><p>“That’d be hard to manage since I’ve had none…”</p><p>“Wow, Lover Boy. That’s pretty, ya know...” The blonde whistled and then smacked her lips, shooting him a look, “Boring~!”</p><p>“Well I’m very sorry to disappoint, my lady, but some of us had things to do.” Mainly not getting eaten or stabbed or anything of the sort, for the last couple years or so, but he kept that to himself. There was no reason to sour the good mood they were sharing. “I’m not worried about it, honestly. Just frontier paranoia making me really not like placing her face.”</p><p>“Well, for what it’s worth, her name didn’t pop up on my Scroll.” She said, closing her little device as he turned to her. Smiling, she explained, “My old man is a law man for Patch, alongside bein’ regent for Ruby. And he may have let me have his login for gov junk, as long as I only use it to keep nasty people off o’ Rubes.”</p><p>“Good of him.”</p><p>“And corrupt.” Mort added, “Not surprising. The law is often so.”</p><p>Probably wisely, he chose not to carry that sentiment over for his companion. Instead he asked, quietly, “Gonna go hunt down your sister? Day’s starting to drag on, now. And Initiation is probably going to be very early.”</p><p>“Yeah, probably should, before she explodes again.” Yang snorted, paying him a look and cocking her head to the side, one brow raised. “You’re not tryin’ to weasel Ruby around, are you?”</p><p>“What-” He blinked, confused for a moment before he understood what she meant. Ruby was young, and the sole Lady of her House. So what Yang feared was obvious, and sensible. “No, of course not. I want to earn titles through knighthood and service. Marriage would be… Not terrible, but it would need to be genuine love.”</p><p>“Uh huh.” She nodded, standing with a sigh and looking him up and down, then smiling viciously. “For the record, though? You hurt her, I’ll put your cock in a vice and feed you your balls. S’my last word on it. Kay?”</p><p>She didn’t wait for him to say anything, sauntering off with a fist on a hip and the over paying him a farewell wave. In her absence, Mort murmured, “I wanna keep her, too, Jaune.”</p><p>“Mort…”</p><p>“Her and her sister are precious.” They said quietly, completely ignoring Jaune’s rolling eyes and quiet chuckle. “We must protect. At all costs.”</p><p>Ignoring the trapped spirit, Jaune stood and made his way to the store they’d shown him. Considering their job, the name ‘Smithson’s’ drew a quiet little chuckle out of him as he slipped through the wide, open doors. Inside students milled about, some thronging around the changing area in the back and the fitting area beside it while their fellows tried out new gear. And, sure enough, he could see plenty of happy Faunus among the customers and the employees tending to them.</p><p>It was  a nice, happy kind of place. One he felt like he’d be proud to be giving Lien to as opposed to, for one example that sprang to mind, the SDC.</p><p>Inside, the store itself was made up of a dozen or so rows of armor stands set up to display samples of what were on offer. At the front were the obvious examples a store like this would want to front towards people looking in, made of shining plated mail and chain and shined to prim lustres. Or, in some cases, painted dark blacks meant to intimidate and awe, and no doubt show off their painting capabilities for those interested.</p><p>Which he kind of was, if not for the price estimates he could see stuck to the bottom.</p><p>Further back, in the middle, he could see lighter armor. Mail and cloaks, fit for ranging in the woods but still heavy enough to resist what you were likely to get hit by. They looked good, and when he pinched the fabric of the cloaks between his fingers they were thick, soft and well-made. Enough that he grimaced, thinking of his own older and badly worn mantle, and made a note in his head.</p><p>“That material tears really easily when Grimm get ahold of it.” A man’s quiet voice said, stepping up to his side and pointing at the one next to it at a thinner material on another stand. “This one is better, it slips through their claws.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“It’s what my shirt is made of.” The dark haired, Mistralian man nodded, holding up a gloved arm and nodding for him to test it. True enough, when he pinched the sleeve and tugged, his fingers slid right off. “This cloth is designed to be damage resistant. That one, though, is designed to let you escape more easily.”</p><p>“Huh. Thanks for the advice.” He offered a hand, “Lord Jaune of House Arc at Ansel.”</p><p>“Lie Ren, from Mistral.” The man answered, hesitating at the lack of his own titles and then, when Jaune only nodded, taking his hand to shake it gently. Smiling as they let each other go, Ren added, “It’s nice to meet you, my Lord.”</p><p>“Jaune is fine.” He grunted, waving him off when his eyes narrowed and he made to argue. “We’re all meant to be equals here, learning to be Huntsmen, so relax. The only one you really need to be worried about being upset is me.”</p><p>“Alright, then…” Ren eyed his armor and sighed, “You’ve had a rough time of it too, then?”</p><p>“I have. Or, well, my armor has, at least.” He clarified quickly, unwilling to sound like he was complaining when he knew that many had it far worse than him. Shrugging, he added, “I’m just getting kitted out for Initiation. I don’t want shoddy gear to get me kicked from Beacon. Or, you know...”</p><p>“Dead.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jaune sighed wearily, “I’d be alright if it was just a hard fight, or bad luck. That’s not something I can help. But crap gear, when I have Lien?”</p><p>“I get it, yeah. Bad luck is fine, but negligence? Not so much.” Ren nodded, looking up the row as metal clanged and clattered across the floor. A small but well-built ginger-haired girl, on her rear and covered in a set of light mail and padded cloth that had fallen on her, waved nervously and the man sighed. “I have to go, my… Nora is causing trouble again.”</p><p>“Your Nora?” He asked, “Is she your girlfriend or something?”</p><p>“Or something.” He nodded, “Good luck, tomorrow. And I hope you do well.”</p><p>“The same to you, Ren.” Jaune smiled, watching the young man leave while his Nora flailed desperately to untangle from the mess she’d made. Once he was out of ear-shot Jaune smiled, “Well, he seemed nice.”</p><p>“Nora smash!” The girl finally shouted, hurling the offending, apparently attacking, cloak away from her and glaring. Ren laid a hand on her shoulder and she turned, pointing at it and bouncing energetically, “Renny! The clothing attacked me again!”</p><p>“And she seems awesome.” Mort answered, “Jaune, can we-”</p><p>“I will actually sell you.” He threatened lightly, turning to head to the front and place his order now that he had a good idea what he wanted.</p><p>About an hour later he stepped out of the dressing room, dressed in a fresh suit of padded gambeson armor that covered his entire upper body and the fronts of his legs. Unlike his old suit, this was a dark silver in color, dotted evenly along the seams by gold-colored lacework. The old, worn leather bracers he’d worn on his arms and legs had been replaced, too, by thicker leatherworking topped by layered steel plates that covered up to his knees and elbows. Each of which were enclosed by thick knee and elbow-guards that were apart of the gauntlets and greaves both.</p><p>Across his chest and stomach, he opted to spend for a sleeveless chain-shirt that cinched at his waist by way of a new leather belt. It was sturdy, fronted by a knightly girdle and circled by small disks half the size of his palms. Finally, he tucked a new hood up and over his head and turned to look at himself in a mirror, the long silver cape hanging regally behind him. It was a marked improvement from the ragged woodsman he’d looked like before. Only…</p><p>“I still need a shave…” He sighed, turning to pay for his gear and find a barber.</p><p>He was almost out of Lien, now, but by the Gods did he feel more well-protected.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Nomorehashtags :</p><p>Those are some neat ideas. I might tweak ‘em and see what I can do, in future. Thanks!</p><p>As for the technology level, it seems tied to wealth as much as region in canon. Frontier settlements, and thus people, are less wealthy and so can afford only less advanced weaponry and the like. Whereas Weiss has a multi-chambered Dust based rapier built for her Semblance. Solid worldbuilding on RT’s part, imo, and one I intend to carry over.</p><p>Peace Maren :</p><p>With very specific exceptions, you’re not anything bad for wanting any particular ship. And I think that what I plan on adding in nearby chapters will only increase your Arkos leanings, lol!</p><p>Guest (Guest) :</p><p>Merchant nobility existed for a long, long time, and often times were disrespected for their origins. Weiss’ attitude is a mix of that and her V1 canon counterpart. Hopefully, she will get a similar treatment, lol. </p><p>Arc-Friendly (Guest) :</p><p>Yes! It was! V1 Weiss has issues, lol.</p><p>SDarkness :</p><p>Mort is pretty great in most scenes, yeah.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Shining Beacon, IV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : <br/>Mika~</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Jaune.” Mort whispered in his ear, rousing him from his sleep the next morning. Jaune groaned, rolling over and sitting up in his worn bedroll while the sword-spirit explained, “Morning bell will chime in a few minutes. I didn’t want it to surprise you again. Might be a bad first impression for everyone else.”</p><p>It was risky to talk to Mort, some of the students were already awake around the auditorium, but he still murmured a quiet, “Thanks.”</p><p>“No problem.” Mort answered, “Let’s get some food and get geared. Today’s the big day.”</p><p>“Hopefully, yeah.” And hopefully not the last big day, either. Seeing a wild blonde mane across the room turn to him he smiled and offered a big wave. He caught Blake slipping away behind her, wary eyes flicking over her shoulder, and added a quiet call of, “Good morning.”</p><p>She blinked, sensitive ears no doubt able to hear him in the mostly quiet room, but only nodded in return before she vanished.</p><p>“She’s… Shy.” Mort said, “I didn’t get that vibe from her yesterday, the way she walked up to us.”</p><p>“Neither did I.” He shrugged, turning and kneeling both to clean up his bedroll and stuff, and to hide his mouth so no one saw him talking. “Maybe she’s just not a morning person?”</p><p>“A black cat named ‘Midnight’ that doesn’t like mornings?” Mort snickered, the sound like metal scraping sending a shiver up his spine that he suppressed with practiced ease. “That’s a bit too on the nose, isn’t it, Arc?”</p><p>“Maybe…”</p><p>“Hey, Lover Boy!” He turned to look over his shoulder and frowned, taking in the far too revealing pajamas the brawler liked to wear. Still he waved a hello and the blonde smiled, “So, how’d you sleep?”</p><p>“Alright enough, I guess.” It wasn’t a mattress, but he was more than used to not having mattresses by now. Bundling everything into his pack he hoisted it onto his shoulder and stood, turning to the blonde, “You?”</p><p>“Eh, floor or bed, I sleep like the dead.” She shrugged, blinking and then grinning ferally, “Oh shit, that rhymed! In this early I’m, uh… Right on time? No, that’s not smooth enough, damn.”</p><p>“Good try. Though.” He snorted, “Where’s Ruby?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Mort added, “Where’s the adorable murder goblin?”</p><p>“Still sleepin’.” Yang shrugged, eyebrows rising as the morning bell chimed loudly across the wide room. “Or… Maybe not, now, actually. She’s a bit of a heavy sleeper, sometimes, and super not a morning person. But that bell’s louder than my dad’s snoring!”</p><p>“He snore bad?”</p><p>“Oh fuck me, you have no idea!” She winked after a moment, cocking a hip, “That wasn’t an offer, by the way. Wouldn’t dream o’ muscling into my lil sis’ territory!”</p><p>“Okay so first of all…”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I gotcha, Arc.” She laughed, shaking her head and turning to walk with him as he made his way towards the lockers. “Just screwing with you, nothin’ serious. And by the way, just lemme know if something really bugs you and I’ll back it right off. I’m trying to have fun, not be a bitch, ya know?”</p><p>“I understand.” He smiled, “And you’re pretty vulgar in the mornings, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Until I get my coffee? Yeah.” She shrugged nonchalantly as they meandered through the waking student body, “Dad’s the same way. So was Mom, before she… A-Anyway, yeah, sorry if it’s annoying you.”</p><p>“You’re fine.”</p><p>“You can say that again…” He thumped Mort’s gem and the sword-spirit grumbled for a short moment before adding, worriedly, “It sounds like something happened to her mother, though. And Ruby mentioned that she was the last Rose. Do you think it’s linked?”</p><p>“No.” He answered Mort first, adding for Yang’s sake, and to mask it, “You aren’t bothering me, Miss Xiao Long. A bit crass, I’ll admit, but I met a lot worse on the frontier.”</p><p>“Yeah, she mentioned they weren’t blood related.” Mort murmured, “Damn it. It’s gonna bug me, now.”</p><p>“Just Yang is fine. ‘Miss Xiao Long’ is my old man whenever Uncle Qrow swings by and he loses at poker.” The blonde said as they slipped into the shared, communal locker area. It was a bit awkward, with all the women changing into their gear, but he kept his gaze forward dutifully as they walked and listened to the brawler. “Anyway, whatcha think Initiation will be like?”</p><p>“Fighting Grimm.” He shrugged unsurely, “And perhaps some kind of… Recovery mission. Like, finding a thing or a person, and getting them home.”</p><p>“Yeah, maybe.” She said as she reached a locker and laid a hand on it, grinning, “Here’s me, so scoot your boot unless you want a show. And if ya do, you better be ready to pay.”</p><p>“As in, in Lien…?”</p><p>“Yep!” She blinked and then winked, “For the dentist, though. Not for me.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes and said his goodbyes, at least for now, to head to his own locker up the way and get changed. The lacing and buckles for his armor were complicated, if not to the extent of plate armor and chain suits. But after so long spent out on the frontier, pulling it on was as natural and easy as breathing. Once he was done he took a moment to use the locker’s mirror, pounding a fist into his chest and stomach to check the fit one last time.</p><p>“You know they literally fitted you for this set less than twenty four hours ago, Jaune.” Mort pointed out, “Literally. It’s morning, you bought them in the evening.”</p><p>“Better safe than sorry.” And really, it was king of habitual by now, to check his kit first. “Not about to die because I didn’t check a strap.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” Mort sighed, “Guess you not dying is better than you dying and me ending up back in a box.”</p><p>“Not a box.” He smirked, “The box.”</p><p>“I’m sorry but… Who are you talking to?” He turned to the woman in the locker next to his with a frown, kicking himself for letting himself slip up that way. “I couldn’t quite make out who you were talking to, so… I wanted to make sure it wasn’t me. I’d hate to be rude and seem to ignore you, after all.”</p><p>The woman was tall, taller than him, with long crimson hair pinned back so that it hung along her back and down to her hips. Heavy, layered bronze plates covered her chest and forearms, sewn onto what looked like layers of linen for gauntlets and greaves, ending in open-topped sandals. A pleated and thinly plated skirt covered her thighs, a short, gently curved sword hanging from her shield-side hip pinning it down and hanging from a thick, black cloth belt. In her off hand she held a round shield large enough to hide her entire body behind and a full spear, with a silver-edged bronze tip tip.</p><p>In her other she held a smooth bronzed helmet, dented and scuffed by innumerable scraps and skirmishes. It covered her cheeks but left her eyes and mouth open, a thin strip jutting out to give space for her nose. Most interesting were the two little horns, barely half his pinky long and just as thin, set above the eyes of the helmet.</p><p>“I, uh, wasn’t.” He answered the Mistralian warrior, for her armor couldn’t be mistaken as anything else. Shrugging, he smiled and paid her a small salute, hand over his heart and the other gripping his sword. “Lord Jaune of House Arc at Ansel, my lady. A pleasure to meet you. Miss…?”</p><p>“You’re… Jesting, right?” Green eyes narrowed suspiciously, the gesture pulling a small scar over a brown taut and showing it well. His eyes flicked to it as he noticed it and she flinched, seeming to force herself to calm and answering more surely, bowing her head deeply. “I am Pyrrha Nikos, of the Warrior Tier, champion of the arena of Argus.”</p><p>“The arena?” He blinked, “But I thought they sent their warriors to Haven directly.”</p><p>“They do. At least if they do not simply join the Military Tier out of it, that is the typical case.” She nodded, straightening and smiling with a kind of genuine warmth he didn’t understand. Why did she seem so much happier all of a sudden? Regardless, she went on, “As the Grand Champion, I was instructed I would be representing Mistral at Beacon this year, on behalf of the Arena.”</p><p>“Grand champion?” Mort whistled, sounding rather like what he imagined a banshee would if it were real. “Impressive. Can we keep her, too? Promise, it’s for different reasons this time.”</p><p>Not asking about the reasons why he wanted Yang and Ruby was an act of pure, unrestrained willpower.</p><p>“That’s impressive.” Jaune complimented her, smiling and offering her a raised fist in the way he knew Mistralians did. “Good luck out there, then. I’d be honored to have you as a classmate.”</p><p>“Or perhaps more.” Pyrrha murmured, rapping her fist against his and turning to leave. Over her shoulder she said, “I shall see you soon, I hope, Jaune of House Arc.”</p><p>“Well she was…” Mort trailed off, searching for the word, before giving up with a wear sigh, “Certainly something alright. Eh, Jaune?”</p><p>“Mhm.” He nodded pensively, turning to follow the throng out to breakfast and murmuring, “Something else indeed.”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>After around an hour for them to eat their breakfast a polite announcement chimed out across the cafeteria, directing all the hopeful first years back to the Auditorium. There they found the Headmaster waiting for them, alongside the Headmistress and a pair of professors that he’d seen directing traffic the day before but otherwise didn’t know. Heads of departments, maybe? He couldn’t be sure, and the Headmaster stepped forward to speak before he could think about it too much.</p><p>“I’m happy to see that everyone survived the night.” The Headmaster said to a small wave of answering chuckles. Smiling, he looked them over and said, “Today, you are Initiates of the Academy. Tomorrow, none of you will be. You will either be students, destined for greatness in and beyond these hallowed walls. Tired and forlorn and on your way home… Or, for a painful few of you, tragedies. But this is an Academy for the truly great, and to even reach this place you must all be, in some small way, exemplars of that greatness.”</p><p>“And so,” he finished, turning a hand to the exit, “if you will follow my staff and I, we shall see you sorted out properly. And know now that I wish you all the best of luck. May the winds of the Fates fill your wings, and see you guided to the place where you most belong, wherever it might be.”</p><p>“That’s not foreboding at all…” Mort murmured as the hopefuls turned to follow the quartet out of the building and along the path. As they made their way, as colorful procession of armors, weapons, cloaks and sigils as any he was sure, students and staff alike paused to watch them go. Quietly, for their gaze, Mort added, “Never-freakin’-mind. That is foreboding. It’s like they’re watching a funeral go by or something.”</p><p>In a way, Jaune was sure that they were.</p><p>Some of the students around him talked, and further ahead of him he could see Yang and Ruby talking to each other nervously. Beyond he could see what he was fairly certain was Nikos’ back, her long mane of red and long spear both standing out. He felt someone bump into him and turned, looking down at the Schnee as she caught herself and grumbled. She flicked a look to him, smiling apologetically and then seemed to realize who he was, blinked, and turned away sharply.</p><p>So, no friend to be found there it seemed…</p><p>“Good luck out there, Lord Arc.” She murmured suddenly, tugging him out of his thoughts. He hummed and she cleared her throat, explaining, “I-It’s customary to wish each other luck before something like this, no?”</p><p>“I guess...” He sighed, nodding after a moment and grunting, “Good luck to you, then.”</p><p>“Thank you.” She nodded, and for a long while, that was that. They simply walked in silence, following the rest of their procession along the wide avenue that the others had come up the day before. When they dipped off, though, slipping between a pair of dormitories and headed away from the larger buildings, she finally spoke. “I wished to apologize.”</p><p>“Apologize?”</p><p>“For my… Behavior yesterday.” She said quietly, avoiding his eyes very pointedly. “I was tired, and a bit sore from the incident with Lady Rose. And a bit out of sorts as well. Vale is… Well, very different to Atlas.”</p><p>“I imagine.” He growled, “That’s how different places tend to be.”</p><p>“I’m trying to make peace here, Lord Arc.” She murmured, paying him a look, finally. Her eyes were hard and narrow but in them he could see a certain… Something that he couldn't quite identify, beyond a tinge of pain. “Or does my name preclude there being peace between us? A Schnee can’t befriend an Arc because of… What, exactly? Because of how they were born?”</p><p>“No.” He sighed, “Because of what you do.”</p><p>“I haven’t done anything-”</p><p>“You mistreated Ruby and I just yesterday for not being to your benefit. Excuses aside, I see no reason to forgive that.” Jaune cut her off sharply, turning a hard glare on her that had her jaw clicking shut almost audibly. “And besides, you’re using the Lien that suffering bought you, are you not?”</p><p>“Jaune, you’re losing your cool.” Mort warned, voice a whisper under the rushing of his blood, “You need to becalm yourself. Calm your emotions or I will have to-”</p><p>“I-I could hardly-”</p><p>“You could have taken that rapier and earned your own way.” He grunted hotly, turning and pointing a finger in her face. She blinked and came to a stop, looking confusedly between it and him while passersby slowed to watch. Most moved on, but he felt the eyes on him. “You could have wandered, earned Lien and a name of your own. Instead, you sat on high, tower of ivory and cutlery of silver, until you come here to demand-”</p><p>“Calm your Emotions I said.” Mort snarled, sword vibrating on Jaune’s hip as they sent mana coursing through them and forced a spell onto him and those around him. Students that had slowed too watch the unfurling argument blinked and turned on and, suddenly, he felt his anger fade. “Good… Now please, don’t make me waste more mana on Calm spells?”</p><p>“Odd… My head feels...” Weiss murmured, pressing a palm to her head and shaking off the spell’s after effects before snapping a look to him, Scowling, and somehow angry despite the spell even when Jaune himself couldn’t rouse it, she said, “I am not my father. And I’d be a fool to undercut myself to make a point when I can just save lives, Arc.”</p><p>With that, she stormed away, pushing through the crowd ahead of him while he sighed and trudged along.</p><p>He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned, the ginger warrior, Nora, smiling warmly at him. She grunted a quiet, almost teasing, “Don’t worry, we gotcha back, m’Lord~”</p><p>“Nora, be respectful.” Ren said with a sigh on his other side, turning a warm look on him and explaining, “Hello, My Lord. We were hoping you’d be willing to consider working with us in the Initiation. We don’t know exactly what we’ll face, but… Well, frontier kids have to stick together, after all.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Nora beamed, like a sun on a summer day, throwing an arm around his shoulders in spite of his greater height and pressing her very muscled self into his side. “Whadda ya say? Renny can shoot stuff for us, you can stab stuff, and I can be strong and hit stuff really good. Model team, am I right?”</p><p>“Aside from lacking someone to hold ground.” He shrugged, “I’m not exactly very durable.”</p><p>“Perhaps not, but I am very durable.” A familiar voice said, the trio turning to see the helmed visage of the Mistralian looming behind them. Bowing her head ever so slightly Pyrrha said, “I saw how your, um, discussion was going and turned back, in case you needed my aid. If you’d allow it, I would be more than happy to hold the line for you all.”</p><p>“I would be honored to fight beside an Arena veteran.” Jaune murmured, pursing his lips and adding, cautiously, “But why would you offer? You don’t exactly know me, and don’t know Ren or Nora at all.”</p><p>“No, but, um…” Pyrrha shrugged and smiled, her helmet’s front hiding part of it but not all and casting her in a somehow frightening and innocent light. “Well, let us just say that I have certain misgivings about the Schnee. And a certain sympathy for the Faunus. Both of which you have shown. And for the others, I trust you would not comport with those who go against your just beliefs.”</p><p>“No, I wouldn’t.” And she nodded at that, as though it ought to have settled the matter. “That’s all you need? Me not being a racist?”</p><p>“For now.” She nodded, flicking a look along her spear to its broad, razor tip and then back to him. Smiling she said, “Other tests will come later. But for the coming Initiation, are we in conjunction or not?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jaune said, “We are. Allies, at least for the Initiation. And perhaps more.”</p><p>At that, Pyrrha chuckled, falling in on Nora’s other side and chuckling as the girl turned to her to brag about her Semblance.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Dealek :</p><p>Kind of light Warden, yeah, if you wanna use that to imagine it. And I’m glad you’re enjoying the changes~!</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Initiation, Part I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : <br/>Mika~</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>After a few more minutes of semi-quiet walking through the Academy’s grounds, they were led to the landing pads that most of the students had arrived on the day prior. Dozens of the smaller Bullheads, ones that could fit four or five people in the back comfortably, awaited them with gently thrumming engines. At each one’s open door stood a teacher, armed and equipped as they preferred and watching the oncoming student hopefuls pensively.</p><p>“Now then, here we are.” The headmaster said as they stepped just onto the platform, the students instinctively spreading out in front of him. “Initiation at Beacon is not a uniform experience. The tests change every year, so that students can never truly anticipate what is coming. Some years, we have you escort a professor, or a droid, from place to place. Others, you are to exterminate Grimm en mass. Last year, we had the students seek out ruins and collect ‘relics’ left there for them.”</p><p>“This year we have opted for… Something of a combination of the three.” The headmistress stepped forward to say, “At great difficulty and risk, many high tier, old Grimm have been procured and scattered throughout a certain place for your test. They are trapped within a large basin and the forest that has grown in it.”</p><p>“With professors and Hunters to escort you, you are to hunt down your designated Grimm and slay it.” Ozpin took over, the duo seamlessly handing the proverbial podium back and forth like a well oiled machine, “Please be aware that unless you are about to very obviously die, they will not help you, or combat Grimm in any way aside from to defend themselves. You may also notify them that you yield, in which case they will intervene and a transport will come to save you.”</p><p>That had many in the crowd murmuring amongst themselves for obvious reasons.</p><p>“Yielding is not an immediate failure.” The headmistress rushed to add, amid the murmurs and whispers of the initiate body. “Why you yield will be determined in an interview after the fact. If your reasons were wise, you may be admitted in spite of your failure. So no matter what may, do not callously throw your, or someone else’s, life away for some illusory glory or the idea of a better grade.”</p><p>“Now then.” Ozpin smiled as the murmuring began to die out, “Please, choose those you trust and select a transport behind me. You may choose up to five people, and no less than three. Details will be given to you of what you will be Hunting as you travel. Best of luck to you all.”</p><p>“Well, it’s convenient you already have a few picked out, then…”</p><p>“Fortune favors the honorable.” Pyrrha offered with a shrug when he leant a voice to Mort’s words. Smiling, she looked between the three of them and bowed her head solemnly, “I do swear that I shall return each of you home from battle, by my shield or upon it.”</p><p>“I, uh, think I have a preference.” Nora offered nervously, looking the other woman up and down and then offered a hand, “Nice to meetcha! I’m Nora Valkyrie! I like to be strong, hit stuff, and eat pancakes!”</p><p>“Um…”</p><p>“I’m Lie Ren.” Ren added with a chuckled, pushing the other girl’s hand down and paying the arena champion a curt, respectful nod. “A pleasure, Red Shield Nikos.”</p><p>“Red…?” He murmured, turning a confused look on her very bronze shield in confusion. “It’s not red, though.”</p><p>“Jaune, you absolute tit…”</p><p>“Not right now it is not...” Pyrrha murmured, turning away with a small sigh and then turning back to offer her fist to the two of them. Hesitantly, they rapped their knuckles against hers and she smiled, “Well met, Brothers and Sister. Please, though, do call me Pyrrha whilst we stand shoulder to shoulder against the vile, dark horde.”</p><p>“As you like.”</p><p>“Okey dokey, P-Money!” Nora crowed, throwing an arm around the woman and grinning as she was tugged down, leaning over so the shorter woman could hold her. Holding her hand out like a frame, she slid it along in front of her like a landlord surveying new territory and grinned, “You and me, P-Money! You and me and a horde of Grimm, all running away, but too slow to escape my hammer and your pokey stick!”</p><p>“Pokey-” Pyrrha blinked from behind her helmet, “Oh, you mean my spear?”</p><p>“Yep!” She smiled, “Big ol’ poker! Say, how many Grimm you think you can stick on that thing at once?”</p><p>“I-I do not know, I fear.” Pyrrha stammered, flushing bright as Nora brought her head further down on her shoulder, nearing her chest. Looking to him she stammered out quickly, “I-I, um, believe that we ought to get going. Am I not right, Lord Arc?”</p><p>“Jaune, not Lord Arc.” Jaune nodded, looking over the Hunters beyond the milling Initiates who were searching out their team. “But you’re right, Pyrrha. We should get going so we can get home.”</p><p>At his words Nora released the gladiator, who stood and straightened her helmet anxiously before leading them through the crowd. Without knowing anything about any of the people waiting beside the Bullheads, Pyrrha seemed to just pick out the closest and head towards it. And being frank, Jaune didn’t have any other, better, ideas on which Bullhead to pick out to take them where they were headed.</p><p>So, he just followed her lead quietly, his armored hand resting on Mort’s jeweled pommel comfortably.</p><p>The Hunter they found was an older man, with a long beard tied into a dozen braids that draped down his broad chest haphazardly. His face was hidden under the brim of a wide, drooping hat that had very clearly seen years of wear, covered in black and red patches. His long coat and pants were much the same, originally made of the same khaki sort of material and later patched by cloth and leather patchwork materials of a wide variety of colors and sizes. He didn’t wear a shirt, though, exposing dark skin that was in the same shape as his clothes, covered in scars and corded muscles.</p><p>Weirdly, he didn’t carry a weapon that Jaune could see, instead toting along what looked like bags of… Sand, strapped to his hips and thighs?</p><p>Strange, but then, Jaune had a magic sword, so maybe he should keep from judging other’s life choices.</p><p>“Y’all are ridin’ with me, then?” He asked as they approached, pushing off the hull he was leaning against and folding his arms. When they nodded, he tutted, looking each of them up and down a few times before sighing tiredly. “All that armor… Well, least you look like you can take a few hits.”</p><p>“We can, yeah.” Jaune smiled, stepping forward and paying the old man another noble salute, hand on the pommel of his sword. “I am Lord Jaune of House Arc at Ans-”</p><p>“Like I care ‘bout any o’ that.” The old man grunted, turning and climbing into the Bullhead with a weary grunt and an agitated grumble. Turning confused looks on each other, he and his newly formed team shuffled forward, clambering in after him. Jaune was the last, and turned to catch a Scroll when the man threw it at him, “Names Brass. Target info is in the Scroll, look it over yourselves.”</p><p>“He’s quite rude…” Pyrrha murmured as they settled in on the other end of the shuttle, crowding around the Scroll.</p><p>“He can hear, too, ya shit.” The old Hunter grunted, propping his feet up on the door as it slid closed and the craft lifted up and away. “Gladiators ‘n kids don’t get handed respect. You kill some motherfuckin’ Grimm, and I mean real ones like we’re out after today, and maybe I’ll care ‘bout your names.”</p><p>“You could still stand to-”</p><p>“Leave it.” He cut in before Pyrrha could say anything more, smiling when she rounded on him, instead, and explaining, “Old salt licks like him aren’t going to listen to what you say. They only care about what you show them. That’s the easiest way to get any respect out of them.”</p><p>“Nailed it in one!” The old bastard laughed, “Heh. Maybe you’re not another o’ these daft little tits after all, eh, Arc? Hell, you might not get yourself killed, even! Makes my job easier.”</p><p>“Your job is to keep us from getting ourselves killed, then?”</p><p>“More or less, aye.” He shrugged, looking at Jaune from under the brim of his drooping hat. “Y’all do somethin’ that oughta be obviously stupid and I won’t do anything about it. But if you run into something you don’t understand, like, I dunno, which end of a Boarbatusk is the dangerous one, I’ll step in to explain.”</p><p>“Gee, thanks.” Mort murmured, “He’s just a peach… I wanna squash him.”</p><p>“I haven’t died yet, and I spent time out on the frontier hunting Grimm and… Staying alive.” Jaune argued quickly, earning what he at least half-suspected was a kind of respectful grunt. Gesturing to each of the other three in turn, he grunted quickly, “Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos. In case you need to stop us from ‘getting ourselves killed’.”</p><p>“Tch.” The man sighed and shrugged, “Whatever. Look over the damn job.”</p><p>Jaune didn’t say anything, instead flicking open the Scroll and tapping the screen to turn it on. After a moment, it flickered to life, and he sighed, “Perfect. Just-Just perfect.”</p><p>“A Deathstalker?” Pyrrha read, leading on his shoulder to look at the description of the Grimm, and its general location along the cliffs of the basin they were headed to. Worried, she looked to him and said, “Deathstalkers are high class, armored Grimm… My spear will have difficulty punching through.”</p><p>“So will my shots.” Ren added, “But Nora’s hammer and explosives should be able to help.”</p><p>“I can cut through the thinner armor on the joints, too.” Jaune added, not including the bit about Mort’s magic super-heating the sword to let him do it. “Pyrrha, do you think you can hold it from the front while the rest of us weaken it?”</p><p>“I do not know, but I can try at least.” The Mistralian said, easing back in her seat and turning an eye on her shield. “Once upon a bloody night, this shield took the shock of a Berengel blow. I suppose a Deathstalker’s ought be… At least comparable to a Berengel’s. At least close enough to gauge my readiness for it.”</p><p>“If not, back down.” Jaune ordered quietly, adding when she flinched, “We can’t beat it without you, so if you can’t take it, we’ll come up with something else.”</p><p>That stymied the argument he saw building on the woman’s face and in her shoulders. As they drooped, Pyrrha nodded, “Very well. I will not retreat, but… A tactical withdrawal is perfectly acceptable. So long as I am not called to retreat outright.”</p><p>“Because of…?” Jaune shrugged, paying the woman a look, “Why not? Sometimes retreating is the best thing to do, so you can come back and win later.”</p><p>“I-I, well…” Pyrrha grimaced, “It is… Difficult to explain, so abruptly.”</p><p>“Mistralian Warrior Tier honor.” Ren offered quickly when Pyrrha couldn’t answer properly on her own. As she relaxed, he went on quietly, “Mistralian Warriors don’t believe that it is honorable to retreat from combat, even if it is one-sided.”</p><p>“You gotta couch it right.” Nor added, reclining in her seat and adding flippantly, “Phrase it right or they’ll just stay and get eaten. S’just how they work, the sillies.”</p><p>“You’re both aware I am right here, yes?” Pyrrha sighed bemusedly, shaking her head and admitting begrudgingly, “They are… Right, though. After a fashion, at least, even if they miss the most important point. I will not retreat from a fight unless it is to safeguard my allies.”</p><p>“Then retreat so we can work together and keep everyone alive.” He shrugged unsurely. Her sense of honor wasn’t quite the same as his, then, and he was sure it would be troublesome… But he’d just have to cope with it, somehow. “Anyway, Nora, I want you and Ren to support Pyrrha and I. We’ll try and hold it and cripple it, and if we can, Nora can deliver the killing blow.”</p><p>“You mean I get to hit it really hard with my big ‘ole hammer?” Nora beamed, bouncing in her seat when Jaune nodded amusedly. “Awwwwwesome! Magnhild will be perfect for that! I made it just for killing big, fur bastards, after all!”</p><p>“Yeah.” Ren murmured, seeming to grow suddenly forlorn as he leaned back in his seat. “We did.”</p><p>“Yeah…” Nora murmured, suddenly sobering and sombering, like she was feeding off Ren’s emotions, somehow. Patting the weapon, she smiled thinly and pushed on, “A-Anyway, I’ll boop it good. Just gimme the signal when ya want me, Jauney. I’ll swing on by and show you who’s best girl ‘round these parts!”</p><p>“Excuse here!” Mort cut in suddenly, vibrating in his palm. “Ruby is best girl, clearly! How dare she be so presumpt- Ow! Don’t thump my gem, Jaune!”</p><p>“So, we have a plan then.” Jaune murmured, ignoring the antsy, rambling sword spirit and smiling thinly. “Pyrrha will pin it down, I’ll try and make an opening, and Ren will support Nora when she comes in to put it down.”</p><p>“A good plan.” Pyrrha murmured, nodding firmly, “I shall see it done.”</p><p>“Saaaame!” Nora crowed eagerly, “I mean, I can’t not boop a big bastard when I get a chance to, ya know?”</p><p>“Bout damn time.” Brass grunted as the shuttle angled down and he sat up, rolling his neck until it popped. “We’re ‘bout to land, too. So y’all get ready to start Hunting, now. And one thing ya forgot about Deathstalkers, that I’ll let ya know, since I’m a good, proper, upstandin’ Hunter.”</p><p>Right, because he just screamed ‘upstanding’... Still, Jaune asked, “And that is, Sir?”</p><p>“Deathstalkers are ambush hunters.” He grunted simply, laying a hand on one of his pouches of sand as the door slid open, letting in a warm breeze and the sound of chirping birds. “So while you’re trackin’ it down, it’s probably waitin’ for you to wander by. You waltz on up unawares, and you’ll have it on top o’ ya before you can react.”</p><p>“If you are trying to frighten us, you may save your breath.” Pyrrha grunted, rising like she’d been challenged. “I fear no Grimm.”</p><p>“Yeah, figured you’d say that, Nikos. You Mistralians always tend to be all ‘bout that bluster and bravade.” Brass sighed, headed for the door and adding over a shoulder, “That’ll get ya eaten, too. Just like every other goddamn Mistrali Hunter I’ve met that acts like that.”</p><p>“Why you absolute dast-”</p><p>“Thanks for the tip.” Jaune said, smiling as he rose, a hand on the rim of her shield stopping her from stepping up to the man. Smiling, he gave her a look and suggested, “ I get how you feel, but lemme just ask you something .Would it be better to beat down your superior, or prove him wrong, Pyrrha?”</p><p>“...Let us kill the beast, then.” She growled, yanking free of his grip and slipping out the other door, opposite the man that had offended her. He followed her and, as he stepped out, she seemed to have calmed. Looking around at the forest she took a deep breath and sighed contentedly, “Ah, I do so love the forest… The sounds, the smells, and the fresh air do wonders for a warrior’s body.”</p><p>“Yeah, I get the feeling… And it’s beautiful out, too.” Jaune smiled as Ren and Nora stepped out to either side of them. Taking a deep breath while the Bullhead lifted up and away, he sighed and said, firmly, “Now let’s go. We have a Grimm to kill.”</p><p>“Actually…” Brass grunted as the bushes on the other end of the clearing they’d landed in began to rustle. “Looks like you got a warm-up ahead of you first, brats.”</p><p>As the three Beowolves pushed through the shrubbery, Pyrrha stepped forward and grunted, her spear sailing across the clearing and slamming down into the lead Grimm’s head. The beast snorted as its skull was crushed down, into the ground, by the heavy spear and its powerful throw. The second bucked as rounds slammed into it, courtesy of Ren’s outstretched guns, until a grenade slammed home and blasted it, its partner, and the poor, innocent bush into nothingness.</p><p>“Well that was anticlimactic.” Brass grumbled, waving for them to lead the way when they turned to him. “Go on, then. Get ‘er done.”</p><p>Rolling his eyes Jaune turned to survey the cliff and check it against the map. It didn’t take long to find their clearing, and using it as a landmark, he turned to lead them into the forest along the cliff’s bottom. At least this way, they knew the Deathstalker could only really come from one direction, after all.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Steelrain :</p><p>I know what you mean about Pyrrha, yeah. As for teams… Kinda~</p><p>Codfix :</p><p>Which she? XD</p><p>Ravell Aqim :</p><p>A note, here, in that Jaune did in fact kind of steal much of his equipment. Very strictly speaking, for instance, the horse he was given wasn’t something the giver could give out that way. Weiss could have stolen Myrtenaster, or similar, to do what Jaune was arguing she ought to have.</p><p>Also, define ‘durable’. Because he won’t be made of glass, but compared to say, Pyrrha there, he’s not a defense oriented fighter.</p><p>#ArkosForever</p><p>Hirshja :</p><p>Yeah, though the overarching argument between these two will be more nuanced, Jaune was in this moment in the wrong. Flawed characters are good!</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Initiation, Part II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>The forest was quiet and peaceful as they made their way along the base of the great cliff, he and Pyrrha on the forest side while Ren, Nora and Brass walked on the more protected side, against the cliff. Brass had huffed when he told them to take that formation, and mumbled something impolite under his breath, but the others had heard the wisdom in his words and done as he said without much prodding. Whether that was really good or bad, Jaune couldn’t exactly be sure just yet, but for now it was useful enough, as they needed someone in control of everything.</p><p>And Brass certainly wasn’t going to do it, the crotchety old bastard.</p><p>“Y’all can relax, ya know.” Brass finally rumbled after half an hour of walking, their eyes locked on the forest while the crotchety old man stared boredly ahead. “Ya hear the birds? Oughta mean there ain’t no Grimm ‘round.”</p><p>“Is that true?”</p><p>“Sure is, Nikos.” The man grunted, “Birds’ll run when they see ‘em, so-”</p><p>“Animals aren’t afraid of Grimm, Pyrrha.” Jaune cut in with a tired sigh, turning to shoot the old Hunter an unamused, agitated look. Turning back to the woods, he kept on, explaining, “Unless they fight for territory or something like that, which is pretty rare but does happen sometimes, then Grimm leave them alone. So animals know not to be afraid of them.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Yeah, Arc has it on the nose.” Brass sighed, throwing his hands up in surrender and then smirking thinly, like he was both bothered and pleased they’d called him out. Walking on, he said, “Good on ya for catchin’ it, too. Did the other two dumbasses know, too, or was it just you?”</p><p>“Yep!”</p><p>“Only larger Grimm, who disturb the trees, cause birds to flee.” Ren added as answer, his voice cool and quiet as always, “So watching them is useful, but only if you are hunting larger Grimm. Which we are.”</p><p>“So then would their not flying away, but instead even singing, not be a sign of safety?” Pyrrha asked, resting her spear on her shoulder as they all walked and looking to Brass curiously. As if expecting him to answer, she added, “Sir Huntsman?”</p><p>“I dunno.” The man shrugged, “What do you think, Arc?”</p><p>“Deathstalkers are ambush hunters, like you said, Brass.” Jaune pointed out dryly, taking some small humor in the way the man’s eyebrows shot up, “If it’s been hiding for a while, then the animals would have started ignoring it already. Assuming they ever stopped. So we can’t rely on the birds either way.”</p><p>“Is that right, Sir Huntsman?” Pyrrha asked quietly, “Is Jaune right, and the animals don’t matter either way?”</p><p>“If ya say so, I guess.” He shrugged, “Ain’t my damn problem, end o’ the end.”</p><p>“If he wasn’t going to say anything actually useful, then why did he say anything at all?” Mort sighed wearily, the sound, as always, grating up his spine and sending goose bumps along his neck. After a moment, though, the sword added, “Unless… Maybe there’s a point he’s tryin’ to get at-”</p><p>“Motion, in the undergrowth!” Pyrrha warned loudly and suddenly as she stepped into him and forced him back with the fist she had wrapped around the haft of her spear as his hands sought Mort Noire’s hilt. Snapping her shield up and bringing her spear around to bear, she bellowed what he guessed was as much a warning as a challenge, “I will take the Vanguard! Let them break upon me if they dare!” </p><p>“Don’t shove-”</p><p>“Jaune.” Mort cut in, “Now isn’t the time. Use her. You can see she wants to be used just like I can, so do it.”</p><p>“Damn it...” But Mort was right, like he always was when it came down to a fight. Drawing Mort Noire he stepped forward, sword resting on his shoulder while he laid a hand on the Mistralian gladiator’s shoulder. To her credit, she didn’t flinch, so he ordered, “Nora, put grenades in the tree line. Ren, lookout. Pyrrha and I will be on vanguard.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“There’s no time, Pyrrha.” He growled, pushing off her and stepping up on her shield side, “We argue, we die. Everyone, do what I say or take my job.”</p><p>“...Righty’o, Big Boss! I got just the thing for it, too!” Nora crowed after a heartbeat, before a quartet of grenades whumped through the air, trailing vibrant pink smoke as they went. They ripped through leaves and brush easily, but silently, and after a second he turned to look at the girl in confusion. She only grinned, extending her hammer and leaning on it, the head resting on the ground, “Just give it a sec, Fearless Leader. Those were some o’ my special ‘nades.”</p><p>“Special how-”</p><p>He was cut  off by the lot of them detonating with a violent, electric crack like lightning. Turning, he saw a flash of trees, rocks and soil spraying out violently, awash in vibrant colors. Pyrrha reacted just as fast as the hail of forest filth fell upon he and his fellows, sweeping his legs out from under him with her spear and stepping over him, feet to either side of his chest. Ren and Nora joined him in a flash, the former dragging the other down as the debris scoured their ground.</p><p>Brass, meanwhile, simply… Vanished, off to who knew where.</p><p>“Oooh, they did just as well as I hoped!” Nora crowed once the shower was over, bouncing up onto her feet when the other Mistralian stepped aside. As he rose and Pyrrha sauntered forwad, shield raised warily, she explained quickly, “Proxi-bombs. Soon as somethin’ big enough runs too close, bam! No more big fluffy.”</p><p>“Useful, lethal and adorable?” Mort cheered and, Jaune was sure, he would have clapped if he’d had hands to do it with. “Jaune, we have to keep her!”</p><p>“Good work, Nora.” He smiled, looking over the crater she’d left in the forest impressedly. After a moment, he asked, the hairs on the back of his neck rising, “But, uh, that was really loud. Wasn’t it?”</p><p>A long, bestial bellow answered him and, silently, they fell into their formation once again, he and Pyrrha out front with the other two behind and just off to the side. The trees of this forest were thick and tall, with wide canopies that blocked a lot of light and left the ground under them dark and shadowy. The thick brush and bushes, all full of thorns he knew from their walk along its edge, only made seeing into it even worse. Which was perfect for the black furred Grimm.</p><p>Less so for any of them, though, unless one of his slapped together team happened to be a Faunus and hadn’t told them. Or he could always use one of Mort’s spells again, if he needed it. But he didn’t need Faunus night vision or Dark Vision to see the Grimm coming for them. Its form shadowy, but massive, ripping trees and shrubs aside roots and all as it came, hurling them high into the air as it came.</p><p>“It has to be a high class Grimm.” Mort warned quietly, already pouring power through his blade form body in preparation for it, “The size of it… Maybe an A class? Another Hunt’s target, perhaps?”</p><p>“Nora!” He called, heart hammering in his breast, “Get your bombs ready! Something big!”</p><p>“I have my Cracker-”</p><p>“Nora, go as big as you can! Just get. It. Ready.” He ordered as the earth under him began to tremble under them. From her maniacal, wide grin and Ren’s even wider, terrified eyes, he figured that was a dangerous thing to say.</p><p>But he was less scared of her than of what emerged from the forest, ripping aside a pair of trees three times Jaune’s size and hurling them away. The Grimm stood just taller than those very same trees, and as wide as two of them. Its legs were stocky and it stood hunched over, longer arms resting great fists on the ground. Thick armor plating covered the outside of every limb and its muscled chest, scarred from countless battles and with arrows, ruined sword blades and spearheads still embedded in it.</p><p>It was like a gorilla the size of a house, mixed with an armored knight… Its head even had a sort of helmet, like a gladiator’s with two small horns resting on its forehead.</p><p>“By the Gods of the Arena…” Pyrrha murmurd, actually stepping back as the red-eyed monstrosity looked across the small clearing at them. “It’s an Armored Kong…”</p><p>“Pyrrha, it’s alright.” He reassured her, wrapping both hands tight around the grip of his sword and holding it out to the side almost horizontally, ready to cut deep when the time came. “We can deal with it if we-”</p><p>“I will take its head!” She cheered, slamming her shield up and raising her spear high, into the air. “For the Gods of the Arena!”</p><p>“Pyrrha, wait-”</p><p>She was gone before the words left his mouth, her shield locked in front of her as she charged and let loose her own bellow of challenge and pride. The great Grimm snarled madly, raising its fists high overhead and then bringing them both down with titanic force. Pyrrha dodged deftly, though, side-stepping them both and pivoting on a heel to bring her shield around. Soil and rock showered her shield and peppered the entire clearing, stinging all along Jaune’s exposed skin and filling his mouth with dirt.</p><p>He choked on the dirt and spat it out, shielding his face with his arm.</p><p>“Jaune!” He heard Nora call from off to his side, just before something heavy and made of metal slammed into him at full force, bowling him over.</p><p>“I-I’m sorry.” Pyrrha coughed, rolling over and staggering upright, one hand snapping up to reorder her helmet. “It surprised me with a kick from behind. I could not-”</p><p>“Ren, use your submachine gun and skirmish away. Aim for its eyes.” Jaune ordered loudly, standing and shoving the Mistralian fighter aside with an elbow. “Nora, what do you have for that?”</p><p>“An idea!” She babbled, covered in dirt and hefting a bandolier of grenades in one hand and her hammer in the other.</p><p>“Our signal flares…?” He murmured, “What are you going to do with those?”</p><p>“Grimm have to breathe, Big Boss!” Nora laughed, smiling a wide and muddy smile, “We get ‘em in his mouth and- Oh lawd, he comin’!”</p><p>Ren didn’t say anything, opening fire on the Armored Kong’s face and sprinting away. As the rounds peppered the soft flesh between his armored face plating, and his eyes, the monster roared and raised an arm to shield itself. Ren kept the fire up, though, firing in short bursts as it lumbered around towards him and snarled. The shots only sparked off its armor, but they did the job of distracting the big, dumb thing for them.</p><p>“Nikos, protect Ren.”</p><p>“But I must-”</p><p>“Protect! Ren!” He snarled, swinging around to get in her face, “Before he gets killed! Or one of us, do! You’re a Mistralian warrior, right? Be his shield! Distract him, somehow, but keep its eyes off of us so Nora and I can get those smoke grenades in its mouth!”</p><p>“...Right.” She nodded, slipping by him and sprinting across the ruined ground to join the man. Seeing her come, Ren turned and ran back, further along the treeline, to let her take the brunt of its attention while he looked for better shots. Slamming her spear around and into her shield she called out, “Come and try that trick of yours again, you pathetic monkey! Let us see how well it does you!”</p><p>Not hearing the sound of gunfire any longer, the beast lowered its arm and roared, before a spear slammed into its eye. The roar died in a pained, wet bellow as the Grimm backpedaled, pawing at its face pitifully. Gripping Mort Noire in two hands, he took off, Nora hot on his heels with her great hammer slung over a shoulder while her other hand slipped the bandolier over her other shoulder.</p><p>“It’s knees!” He ordered, “You take one, snap it! I’ll burn through the other!”</p><p>“Hint taken, Jaune!” Mort spoke, the sword humming intensely as it glowed, sigils lighting all along its length before it burst into white flame, wicked green tinges dancing along the cooler edges. “Slice and dice! I want my giant monkey medium well!”</p><p>“Got it, Boss!” Nora crowed excitedly, sprinting past him to the closest knee and spinning on her heels, pouring all her strength - and the hammer’s own weight - into a devastating blow.</p><p>He heard the plating and the beast’s bones crack like lightning, the knee snapping back to bend the opposite way it was meant to go. It bellowed and nearly fell, one arm coming back to support it as Jaune closed with the other. Normally, his sword didn’t do well against armor, but with Mort’s enchantment, it could melt through it. And melt it did, white bone bubbling and oozing away as he pressed into the material.</p><p>And then through it, nearly severing the limb entirely as the creature roared and fell back.</p><p>As it landed, he and Nora leapt away, but even maimed as it was the monster was still a Grimm. It flailed, broken limbs and whole ones ripping up dirt and soil and spraying it everywhere as it sought to land something on them. In the spray, it was hard to see, and he heard Nora cry out as it no doubt landed a blow on her and knocked her away.<br/>“Did this big, furry bitch just hurt my brand new Nora?!” Mort bellowed in his ear, nearly setting them both to ringing. The sword’s vibrating spiked suddenly, so much so it almost jerked out of his hand, and the spirit demanded, “Take his damn head off! Teach him to mess with my shit!”</p><p>It was a big ask, literally given the flailing monster’s prodigious size, but Mort only swore that much when they were genuinely angry… So he couldn’t say no.</p><p>Ducking under an arm as the ape raised it to slam it down, he leapt, clinging onto armor plating and broken weapons left in its hide to scale it. The Grimm felt him doing it, too, slamming a fist down into him so hard he felt his bones rattle through his Aura. A second blow nearly knocked him loose, before he felt himself yanked up and into the air. He crashed down onto its belly at Pyrrha’s feet and rolled over, forcing himself up.</p><p>“How-”</p><p>“Unimportant.” She snarled, “Let us take the head!”</p><p>“Well, alright then…”</p><p>That was easier said than done, though, because now the monster was focusing on them. An could see them, from its good eye, by raising its head to glare at them. It bellowed, bringing its arms up to crush them against it, before the sound of a gun firing split the air once more. Half a dozen shots bored into its good eye, blinding it fully and setting it writhing and roaring once again. Blinded it may have been, but it could still feel them on its chest and brought its great fists up once again, intending to crush them under them.</p><p>As they came down, though, they exploded into bone and black smoke, courtesy of a pair of little pink balls that stuck onto its wrists for a moment before detonating in bright puffs of smoke.</p><p>“Woo, stickies!” Nora crowed eagerly, running along behind them and shifting her launch rinto a hammer. She was bruised, her top torn in half a dozen small places and blood leaking from a cut on her forehead, but she was smiling maniacally as she called out, “Gonna drive that nail home for ya, P-Money!”</p><p>“What nai- My spear?!”</p><p>“Yep!” Nora laughed, chittering all the way as she spun, bringing her hammer around with the front down. Then, with the pull of a trigger, she soared high into the air, spinning to bring the head back around and shrieking, “Boop boop right back at ya, mothafuckaaaa!”</p><p>The hammer connected with the end of the spear and drove it down, into the monster’s skull. It stiffened suddenly, and stayed that way for a moment, before relaxing and flopping on the forest floor. A sblack smoke trailed, Jaune relaxed, feeling the magic drain from his sword now that the Grimm was dead and Mort knew Nora was very much not.</p><p>“I’m in love…” Mort murmured wistfully as Nora bounced on its head and then swooned, just in time for Ren to catch her. Grinning, she pecked him on the cheek and proclaimed him her ‘knight in way to much clothes.  “Jaune, I need a favor.”</p><p>He thumped Mort’s gem.</p><p>“Come on, Jaune!” Mort crowed, “Just a tiny bit of  murder for your best pal!”</p><p>“Box…”</p><p>“For Nora, any box is worth it!” Mort vowed, before, anxiously, adding, “B-But, uh, on further consideration, I would never, ever hurt Nora’s feelings that way!”</p><p>“Good shit!” A familiar voice called as the beast dissolved, Brass sauntering out of the trees with a wide smile. “Wrong bitch, though. C’mon, after that show, I can ‘least find the actual damn target for ye.”</p><p>“How?” Jaune asked, curious as he dropped down off of the Armored Kong. </p><p>“You’ll find out in a bit.” The old man promised, “Just c’mon.”</p><p>Sighing, and more than happy to get away before something else big and pissed off showed up, they followed the old Hunter eagerly enough.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>SD Phantom :</p><p>Glad you’re enjoying this! And yeah, I made Pyrrha a positive UNIT. Or, well, a different kinda unit, I guess, lol.</p><p>Mog the Gnome :</p><p>Glad you liked it!</p><p>Bukkake no Jutsu :</p><p>Yeah, that was fun to lay out and explain. And totes isn’t foreshadowing, nah.</p><p>Ravill Aqim :</p><p>Glad you liked it! And yeah, I understood the gist of what you were gettin’ at, no worries.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Initiation, Part III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>As they walked through the forest rather than along its edge, long tendrils of sand snaked out from the pouches the Huntsman wore, writhing and snaking around them languidly. The long tendrils billowed and undulated like smoke come to life. Or maybe more like tentacles made of sand, affixed to the old Huntsman wherever he wore the pouches. Whatever the case, the sandy thing orbited the man eerily and, on occasion, he would turn an eye on one before turning and heading in whatever direction it had snaked off to.</p><p>Why, he couldn’t be sure, but you didn’t get old as a Huntsman and be active without knowing what you were doing. So he had no real choice but to trust him, and turned his attention back to his team.</p><p>“I cannot believe that we have already felled an Armored Kong!” The Mistralian fighter was cheering, marching along beside him with her spear resting against her shoulder. Ecstatic as she sounded, and looked with the wide smile she was sporting, she still knew to keep her eyes open, head turning slowly to watch for any threats. “To think, we would know each other for so short a time and yet accomplish such a deed… Truly, remarkable. I shall have to mark it down.”</p><p>“Right?!” Nora crowed excitedly, bouncing along in spite of the grime that had been sprayed all over her thanks to the Grimm’s earth tearing attacks. And in spite of the rips and tears in her gear, showing off far too much thigh and stomach for his tastes as she bounced around her friend, “Right, Renny? Wasn’t it awesome?”</p><p>“It is a rather impressive accomplishment.” The man nodded, smiling pleasantly and adding quietly, “But please, stop leaping around. You’re tearing your clothes more, and it’s already going to be a pain to repair.”</p><p>“Slay him where he stands.” Mort demanded, “He dares ruin my fun!”</p><p>“It’s not that bad.” Nora waved him off, even if she did stop her hyper bouncing to turn to him, Magnhold held across her broad shoulders with her hands draped over them like she was toting buckets of water. “S’just a couple teeny tears in my skirt, and a hole next to my belly button.”</p><p>“You are showing a bit of thigh, though…”</p><p>“Oh please!” Nora rolled her eyes, “P-Money, I swear I saw your butt when you were leaping around back there.”</p><p>“You what now?” The young arena fighter practically squeaked, going ramrod straight and sputtering when the other woman only grinned impishly at her. “Y-You are most improper, you know, Valkyrie. If we were in the Arena dorms then you’d be in a lot of-”</p><p>“But we’re noooot~” Nora said, turning and pointing a dirty finger at the redhead, her finger spinning tauntingly. Turning to him, she added, singing, “I think P-Money over here needs to loosen up jus’ a bit, Fearless Leader. Got any ideas?”</p><p>“I do!” Mort answered, “I have plenty of ideas for that!”</p><p>He ignored the sword, as he had been doing for half an hour now, and answered, “I think you’re teasing her too much, Nora. Maybe just ease off, and calm down, for a bit?”</p><p>“But that’s boring…”</p><p>“I’ll make you chocolate and cinnamon pancakes tomorrow.” Ren offered quietly, “Assuming that you behave.”</p><p>“I will be on my best behavior, Renny!” The woman promised, spinning around on a heel and marching along like what he supposed she thought a soldier would look like. She even snapped off a clumsy salute, one tongue stuck out playfully. “You guys have got to try my Renny’s breakfast stuff! They’re to kill for!”</p><p>“I believe the saying is ‘to die for’...?”</p><p>“Nah, P-Money.” Nora chuckled, “Nora doesn’t do the dyin’. She does the boopin’. By the way, what do we call that hammer ‘n nail trick we did back there?”</p><p>“Does it need a name?” Ren asked quietly, “I don’t know that we can pull it off often enough to name it.”</p><p>“We can if I have anything to say about it!”</p><p>“How about ‘Coffin Maker’?” Pyrrha offered anxiously, like she expected them to smack her down for daring to say anything. “As my spear is like a nail driven hoe by your hammer, and kills things, it makes sense. ‘Last nail in the coffin’ and all that.”</p><p>“Ooooh, I like that!”</p><p>“Know what I like?” Their old Hunter grunted finally, tiredly, as they stepped onto a thin, brush-filled animal path through a grove of trees that had grown close and thick together. It probably would have been easier to go around, but the sand seemed to be leading them that way. “I like peace and quiet while I’m huntin’. And by the by, we’re almost there, so you’re gonna wanna- Shit.”</p><p>“I don’t think I need to do that…” Pyrrha murmured before jerking to a stop and staring ahead of them warily as distant cracks echoed back at them loudly, scattering through the trees. “Are those… Those are gunshots.”</p><p>“Y’all ran into someone else’s target ‘fore they could get to it jus’ a bit ago.” Brass grunted as his sand withdrew, the pouches sealing themselves as the last of the sand belonging to each pouch made its way home. “Sounds like someone might’a ran into yours, too. Might wanna get on that before-”</p><p>Suddenly, something exploded ahead of them, managing to hurl branches and soil far enough that Jaune heard it scattering in the thick canopy above them. Pyrrha raised her shield and he raised his arms as more pattered down, bouncing off of them harmlessly. In its wake it left silence, the gunfire from earlier having died off in whatever explosion had echoed mutedly through the forest.</p><p>“Sounds like the fight’s over with, kiddies. Lemme just take a look for us.” Brass grumbled, turning to look at them with a raised eyebrow as his sand shot forward probingly After a quiet moment he frowned and asked, quietly, “What’re you gonna do, then? Technically, ya beat one o’ the big bastards, so you probably can pass the test.”</p><p>“We can?” Ren asked, “Even though we didn’t accomplish the objective?”</p><p>“I mean, probably, yeah.” Brass shrugged, “Mostly, this is just a skill check. To make sure you brats are worth trainin’ after all.”</p><p>“Someone could be hurt out there.” Jaune grunted simply, pushing by the man and following the sandy tendrils he was sure were scouting the way, somehow, now that the man had used them to ‘take a look’. “A Hunter’s job isn’t done while someone is in danger. And neither is a Knight’s, for that matter.”</p><p>“Well said.” He heard Pyrrha say as she followed just behind him while Nora just cheered, more than eager to hit something else with her hammer.</p><p>“Hmph.” He heard Brass grumble, just loud enough Jaune was sure he wanted to be heard. “At least the brats know what their job is… And hell, they did it earlier, too. So maybe…”</p><p>Jaune pretended he hadn’t heard him, though, rushing ahead with his team at his back. The trees were tightly grouped together in this stretch of forest, roots breaking through the earth under their feet and making it uneven and rough. But it didn’t really hinder them that much, three of them more than used to the heavier trees and rougher terrain. And Pyrrha was more than smart enough to follow in their footsteps, so she didn’t trip and fall on the unfamiliar ground.</p><p>Because that would look wonderful in Initiation…</p><p>When a wall of shrubs blocked the way, the tendrils of sand vanishing into its dense foliage, he growled and tried to push through. Long, hooked thorns caught on his armor and pricked along his Aura, catching on him when he tried to pull away and nearly sticking him in the shrubbery. Growling, he yanked free and looked to either side for another way through. But the bushes were long as well as tall, stretching out like a huge sore for a dozen feet in either direction, before vanishing into more thick spurts of trees.</p><p>“I don’t see a way around…” He murmured, growling, “Nora, you mind?”</p><p>“Comiiiiiiing throuuuuugh!” The woman crowed before he’d even really finished saying anything, leaping over them and bringing Maghnhild down to crush the shrubbery like she might a Grimm’s skull. Bouncing back, she grinned and gestured at the ‘door’ she’d made, “One bush hole, ready and waiting for you, Fearless Leader~!”</p><p>“We’re not calling it that…”</p><p>“Hey, it’s my bush hole.” She challenged, raising her eyebrows and pursing her lips, “I get to name it, Ren.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Bush!” She barked, pushing by and into the clearing, “Hole!”</p><p>Sighing, Jaune followed her, pushing through the brush and stepping into a massive clearing that suddenly opened up in front of them. It was maybe the size of a football field, and every inch of it had been torn up. Long furrows of upturned soil ran in trenches all along its length, sometimes mounded into huge hills. Trees and bushes had been ripped up, roots and all, and hurled around it as well, scattered randomly across the field. Some were even on fire, smoke trailing up from them and into the sky.</p><p>“It’s like a warzone…” Ren murmured quietly, “Just like back at-”</p><p>“Yeah. Just like it.” Nora nodded, stepping away from the trees with her hammer held in both hands, ready to crush anything that dared to get too close. Carefully, she stalked forward with them at her back, eyes scanning over the destruction until… “I see someone!”</p><p>“Where?” He barked, stepping up beside her and following her nod to a mound a dozen feet and more away. </p><p>It was big enough for a bus and, resting at its bottom, were a pair of forms covered in dirt and ash. One was black and red, a great scythe scattered nearby. The other was smaller and grey, laying on her stomach and covered in splotches of white that showed through the ash and dirt. A rapier lay over her back like it had fallen there, and her limbs were sprawled out around her. </p><p>“Ruby!” He called out, “Weiss!”</p><p>Before he could think, his feet were carrying him across the field, Mort Noire held out in front of him, one hand on the hilt and the other on the blade’s middle. He’d nearly reached them when a gunshot cracked, his Aura sparking in protest as it glazed off his shoulder and staggered him. Pyrrha slammed into him for the second time that day, forcing him down as her shield came up and she knelt over him, using her body as a shield against the shots.</p><p>Then, a familiar voice called out, “It’s a trap, you Tides taken knight!”</p><p>“A trap…”</p><p>“Death Stalkers are ambush predators!” Mort shrieked, their voice a piercing tone that set his ears ringing and eyes watering, “The girls are bait!”</p><p>No sooner had the words left Mort’s purely proverbial mouth did the mound suddenly explode, detonating so spectacularly that Nora was sure to be jealous and hurling dirt and wood high into the air. The great scorpion surged forth from the soil, claws and mandibles spread wide and eager to obilderate them. His eyes widened as he rose, pulling Mort around and taking him in both hands as Ren and Nora called out their names.</p><p>Then, a vibrant yellow, flaming interception missile crashed into the Deathstalker’s side, tossing it aside.</p><p>“And that is because I had to wait, fucker!” Yang bellowed, eyes the brightest blood red he’d ever seen as she straightened. </p><p>She was filthy, too, her jacket gone and leaving her in a tight tank that was battered and torn. Cuts and scrapes marred every inch of her he could see, almost, making her look almost like she’d rolled down a street at something approaching the speed limit. But she didn’t seem to give a damn, turning a look on him as she heaved for breath.</p><p>“Blakey has my sister and the bitch.” She grunted shortly, tiredly, “The rest o’ us have the big bastard. Good?”</p><p>“Yang? Where did you-”</p><p>“I do not think that the Grimm will wait while we talk.” Pyrrha warned as she stepped in front of the wounded woman protectively. </p><p>True to her words the massive, thoroughly battle scarred monster was on its feet, chittering angrily and clicking its claws as it appraised them. Nora and Ren joined them and it hissed angrily, backing away and towards the woods. Then it turned to look at the ruined mound, no doubt looking for the two it had used as bait. Only finding an empty spot it chittered again, thrashing its fury.</p><p>He didn’t have long… To think or talk. “Yang, can you fight?”</p><p>“Can I fight?!” She scoffed, shoving past Pyrrha and rolling her shoulders. Slamming a fist into her palm she growled, “I’ll fuckin’ rip its tail off and fuck the hole!”</p><p>“Well that’s graphic…” Mort murmured, “But wait, how would she fuck the-”</p><p>“Partner with Nora, and flank it. When it’s distracted, hit it, try and flip it if you can so we can get at its soft belly. Ren, back them up.” He ordered quietly, turning a hard eye on her in case she would try to argue. She only nodded, though, eyes locked on the Grimm as it scuttled to the side. Quietly, he asked her, “Is there any chance Blake will come to help us out here?”</p><p>“Nah.” Yang answered, “She’s protectin’ my sis and the bitch. And our Hunter is dead, too, so don’t bother asking.”</p><p>So no back up then… “Pyrrha, take left. I’ll take right. Try and maim it, however you can. Blind it, cripple its claws or legs, I don’t care. I’ll be doing the same.”</p><p>“Understood.” Pyrrha answered, “This time, I will follow your lead alone.”</p><p>“Good. Any questions from the gallery?” No one had any and the Grimm hissed impatiently as it watched them, its eyes full of rage but unwilling to attack them when they were together but seemingly more than aware that they were planning. Then again, he was feeling less than patient himself…</p><p>“Then,” he rumbled, “scatter.”</p><p>At his word they did, the two heavy hitters and their back-up sprinting away to the side. The Grimm hissed but  Jaune and Pyrrha both surged forward before it could chase them and, roaring so loudly and shrilly his ears throbbed, it launched forward to meet them. He was faster than Pyrrha and met it first, slamming a heel down and bringing Mort around, blade held down along the outside of his arm and along his body. The open claw slammed into him with the force of a relatively small train, hurling him up and pitching him away as Pyrrha stepped into his place and took the other on her shield.</p><p>He landed a few feet away and hissed as pain lanced up his legs and his Aura flared and crackled. It was low from just the one hit…?</p><p>Pyrrha ducked back as its other claw came around, narrowly missing her. Then, the monster bellowed as she slipped around and slid on her knees, under its armor, to bury her spear in one of its many eyes. It writhed and roared as it backpedaled away, its right claw snapping out at her head as she leapt up and over it, wrenching her spear free in a spray of ichor. She landed on its back and roared, burying the spear in another eye.</p><p>She’d taken two, but he brought Mort down and across its face as he finally leapt back into the fray, gouging out another. It roared its furt and he smiled and then grit his teeth as a claw slammed into his side and pitched him up. The other claw caught him, wrapped around his middle, and he heard Pyrrha cry his name as the Deathstalker turned and hurled him at the heavy team. Yang ducked under him, a flash of yellow and fire, but Nora and Ren stopped to catch him and were bowled over by his armored weight.</p><p>“Go!” He bellowed, rolling off the hammer-wielder and her partner as the old Deathstalker turned, its gold tipped tail lashing out to ward her off. He tried to rise and felt pain sear up his leg and through his knee, dragging him down as he hissed. Angry, he called out, “I’m out!”</p><p>The blonde brawler caught it by the stinger, arms wrapped around the tail and her heels digging in as it fought desperately to get free of her. Roaring, Pyrrha raised her spear and brought it down on another eye, spraying ichor as it slid by and buried itself in the soil. The Grimm surged forward and caught it, using its weight and the spear itself to lever the woman off and then catching her in a claw as she flailed by.</p><p>Then its other snapped up and caught her shoulder, pulling as her Aura flared and the woman grit her teeth, choking back a pained, “Gah!”</p><p>Finally, Ren and Nora reached it, the former slamming his blades into the joints of its tail, severing it as Nora stooped and caught the golden stinger. She pitched it up to Yang and, grinning, the blonde leapt and pulled it back like a football. As she threw it, Jaune saw Nora pull back her hammer, driving it down into its face as Pyrrha’s Aura crackled and failed in a flash of red.</p><p>It shivered and spasmed, then hissed and collapsed, smoke drifting out from between its armor plates as Pyrrha thudded to the ground.</p><p>Forcing himself up on his feet, and leaning on Mort Noire like a crutch, he asked, “Everyone alive?”</p><p>“Yep!” Nora and Yang both quipped loudly, beaming smiles now that the fight was over. </p><p>“I think my shoulder is dislocated...” Pyrrha called out as she stood, cradling her arm and hissing as Ren took it and braced her against Yang and Nora before forcing it back in. Teeth grit against the pain, she called out, “N-Nevermind!”</p><p>“Good work, kiddos!” Brass called out as he finally emerged from the forest, the Schnee laid over his shoulders while Blake helped Ruby limp along. “I called the Bullhead to come and evac us, so you fuckos just find a particularly comfy pile of dirt and chill. I’ll handle whatever fucks along.”</p><p>Groaning, Jaune was more than happy to do just that, falling on a mound of soil next to him and massaging his twisted knee. The others shuffled over to him and collapsed in mounds of varying levels of bruises and groans while Brass watched over them. Blake was the only exception to that, looking clean and poised with her weapon out and sharp, amber eyes scanning along the forest’s edge warily.</p><p>After a moment, Pyrrha grunted, “I shall need to mark this down, too. Ser Hunter, do you know any tattooists of good repute?”</p><p>“Tattooists?” Jaune asked quietly, “Why do you need a tattooist?”</p><p>“How else will I mark it down…?” She asked, shuffling over until she was laying next to him and smiling widely, “In a book or some such? I may lose it then! No, no, ‘tis better to use a more permanent ink. An Arena tradition as old as the Arena itself.”</p><p>“Oh!” Nora grunted, sitting up and smiling maniacally, “We should all do it! We can head into town, get pizza, and get inked together!”</p><p>“I-I’m not old enough for that, though?” Ruby tried, rubbing a hand on her bruised wrist with a grimace and looking at her bloodied sister, laid out across the ground and heaving for breath. “And, um, Yang might kill me?”</p><p>“Nope, fuck it.” She waved the girl off, tired but seemingly satisfied. “Got a fake ID I was gonna give you in October anywho, so we’re gettin’ inked, girl.”</p><p>Ruby whined about how much she hated needles and they all laughed. Which of course only made her whine more, throwing dirt at the rest of them with a pout that would have given the Deathstalker pause. Well, at least if it hadn’t been put on permanent pause, that was.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>I hate managing eight characters in a fight set, which is why I cut the numbers down. Five was less difficult, but I still feel this came out… Clunky. I dunno how else to describe it, the whole set just feels ever so slightly stilted. Apologies.</p><p>However, I think this and the mine has sold the grit and threat of the Grimm in this, and how I will portray ‘em. Love RWBY to death, but they tend to shy away from being as brutal as I would with these monsters. Of course, you all know my name, lol.</p><p>Anyway, hope you enjoyed!</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Bukkake No Jutsu :</p><p>‘Excessively hot Worf from TNG’ is one, not something I expected to read or type today. And two, unfairly pretending Worf isn’t THE handsomest person on that bridge. XD</p><p>Xenonex (Guest) :</p><p>To be fair, the nobility system will serve some plot purposes, and already has, here. Just not yet. Another good one like it I VERY FUCKING MUCh reccomend is The White Knight by the author MahinaFable.</p><p>Shadow Slayer :</p><p>I always saw her as more Greek inspired than Spartan, like I always have - and will based on her ending - considered her a genderbend of Achilles and General Pyrhus (Sp?) of I believe Macedon, from whom we get the term ‘Pyrrhic Victory’. However, just glad you like it!</p><p>SD Phantom :</p><p>Nora is, indeed, the MVP.</p><p>Steelrain :</p><p>Maybe! XD</p><p>8Bit Thief :</p><p>Will do!</p><p>Brick Laying Psycho :</p><p>Especially given recent developments, I would argue rather strongly that JNPR was never intended as side-dressing. But I don’t wanna argue, and I am very glad that you enjoy the tweaks I have made!</p><p>As for longer chapters, I do my best, but due to developments laid out in ANs elsewhere, I rolled my min word count from 4K to 3K.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Initiation, Part IV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>Settled Reader, Xager the Chaos King</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>In the time they’d been gone on their Initiation, Beacon’s air-docks had been transformed so dramatically he almost thought they'd been dropped off somewhere else. Long, curved tents wrapped all around the docks’ perimeter, swarmed by robotic assistants, nurses from Vale and even a solid fistful of Beacon students helping out. The students and robots each wore little plates of metal strapped to their arms with the universal-by-treaty red X marking them out as medical workers.</p><p>And, limping between the aid workers or helped along into the tents by them, Jaune could see well over a dozen injured Initiates. </p><p>Some of the injured Initiates had their arms or legs in casts, or their heads swaddled in thick, tightly tied bandages, and limped off into Beacon with older students leading the way. Others sat on the ground wrapped in emergency bandages that were slowly reddening while they grit their teeth and kept pressure on their injuries. The worst of the lot, though, were the quiet ones being rushed onto Bullheads meant for Vale, sheets covering their torsos that very distinctly didn’t have the shape of every arm or leg.</p><p>“It’s like a war zone…” Mort murmured soberly as they disembarked, a couple of Bullheads lifting off as their own teams of exhausted, limping Initiates helped each other along. He frowned and Mort added, quietly, “I’ve seen plenty of them, so I recognize them for all the worst reasons.”</p><p>“How many injured?” A doctor rattled off exhaustedly as he reached their group, a trio of rattling over the paved floor behind him, pushed along by a few Atlesiand droids. </p><p>“I hurt my leg on a bad fall, but I can walk on it well enough.” He grunted shortly, more than able to push aside his pride for an injury after so long out in the field. “Pyrrha took a heavy hit from a Deathstalker, too-”</p><p>“I’m fine.” The woman grunted, taking the hand she’d had pressed to her hip away like it had burned her. “I don’t need treatment.”</p><p>“Pyr, you were almost ripped in half by a bus-sized scorpion.” He growled, frowning even more deeply when the Mistralian only looked at the ground, avoiding his gaze. Irritated and aching, he warned, “I will hold you down if you don’t-”</p><p>“Relax, Initiate, I’m used to Mistralians.” The doctor sighed wearily, crossing his arms and grunting, “The Headmaster is your superior at Beacon Academy. And he has a standing order that even mild injuries be examined post-mission. So are you going to defy your superior’s commands, Nikos?”</p><p>“...No.” She sighed, “But I will walk, thank you.”</p><p>“Fine.” The doctor grumbled, turning to Jaune while a drone helped him up onto one of the gurneys and off his hurt leg, “Continue.”</p><p>“Weiss and Ruby got taken out by a Deathstalker, so they’re probably in rough shape too.” He reported finally, waving a hand at the two smaller women being helped along by their sister and Nora. “And Nora took a pretty good knock, so she could probably do with a once-over.”</p><p>“That all?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Got it.” The man sighed, turning to one droid while the others helped Ruby lay down and wrestled with a weakly protesting Schnee that couldn’t do  much against Nora's strength when she brought it to bare. Quickly and coolly, the doctor rattled off, “Two A class injuries, one B, and two C’s. Log and send.”</p><p>“Roger, Doctor Carp.” The machine murmured mechanically, “Beds are being assigned. Details will be sent to your Scroll.”</p><p>A hand forced him onto the bed and they were rolled off, while the uninjured members of his ragtag band were herded away, back towards Beacon. Presumably, that was to clear space for the next four Bullheads he saw angling to land. And, as he rolled along, he heard more of the little medical beds roll by, swamped by machines and led by more doctors off to process the incoming Initiates.</p><p>The tent he was brought to was one for minor injuries, dominated by a long hallway with small rooms made out of dran curtains to either side. The ‘rooms’ were simple, a cot with barely enough room for a doctor to work in beside it, but he supposed it did the job. And ideally, he was sure they hoped for most of the injured coming in to only need minor treatment, so he was sure the rooms had been designed with space in mind.</p><p>“You’ve suffered a slight impact fracture.” A nurse explained an hour later, kneeling and wrapping a bandage tight around his bare leg. Her long, dark grey, reptilian tail flicked agitatedly behind her as she went on, “Your equipment was taken back to your designated locker, and you are not to leave your wheelchair for the day.”</p><p>“Got it.”</p><p>“I’m not dealing with any arg-” She blinked, flicking a surprised look to him, “Wait, you got it?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He shrugged, trying to fend off how naked he felt in the Beacon Academy uniform he’d been loaned while his leg got dealt with. “You’re the doctor, after all. I’m not dumb enough to act proud when it comes to my health.”</p><p>“Well that’s… A refreshing behavior.” The woman said as she finished the bandage off and stood, paying him a goodbye nod as she stepped through the door. “Have a good one, then. And stay off the leg!”</p><p>He didn’t bother answering and, a couple minutes later, a droid showed up to help him into his chair. And then to roll him out of the tent, after which he was left alone with the simple direction to head back to the auditorium. At least the wheelchair was mechanical, so he didn’t have to push the wheels himself. Instead, he just used a little joystick to steer it.</p><p>“So…” Mort murmured as they buzzed along, the electric engine of the cheap wheelchair buzzing quietly. “We killed two of the big bastards. You think that means we passed?”</p><p>“Probably.” He murmured, tugging his Scroll out and setting it on his lap, a finger pressing an ear bud in. That way anyone that looked would just assume he was on a Scroll-call with someone. “Killing them was the job. That and not dying while we did it, at least.”</p><p>“Yeah, we didn’t do that.” His friend said, sighing eerily once more, “Not for lack of trying, though… You’ve never fought anything like what they put out there for us, Jaune. And I don’t remember ever doing so, either.”</p><p>“Right.” Jaune nodded, “And?”</p><p>“Why would they use that sort of test on Initiates?” They asked, “I don’t get it. This kind of attrition rate can’t be good.”</p><p>“Or normal, yeah. It’s strange...” For all the grandstanding earlier, he knew that most of the Initiates that didn’t get into Beacon were rejected, rather than killed or maimed. An online search while he rolled along had confirmed as much, too. “Maybe something’s going on that we don’t know about?”</p><p>“Maybe that’s what’s going on, yeah.” Mort agreed flatly, an odd curiosity laced under his proverbial breath, “But what could be going on that would push them like this? I certainly don’t know about anything.”</p><p>“Nothing online, either…”</p><p>“Whatever weird nonsense is going on, it isn’t our business right now, Jaune.” Mort said after a long, silent minute spent rolling up the wide walkway into Beacon. “We’ve got our own goals on our plate, after all. We should keep our eyes on the ball.”</p><p>“Yeah…”</p><p>“Oh!” Mort suddenly gasped, “That rhymed!”</p><p>Jaune could only sigh at his insufferable partner’s typical complete inability to stay serious for more than ten minutes. But then again, Mort had never been even remotely capable of that in all the time Jaune had known them. And, Jaune hated to admit it, it had rhymed pretty well all things considered.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>He was met by a young woman waiting at the door to the Auditorium when he got to it, who checked him off the list and took his Scroll. After a couple of moments working on it, the blonde handed it back and smiled, “Until tomorrow morning, when Initiation officially ends, the teams formed in the test itself are being boarded in the first year dormitories. Anyone injured can order food delivered, and you’re hurt enough to, so feel free. A staff member or a droid will deliver it promptly.”</p><p>“Got it.” He grunted, flicking open his Scroll and finding the map already open on it, a little dot marking out his room for the night with a line running from the hAuditorium - where he was - to it. Smiling, he paid her a nod and turned to leave, adding, “Thanks, Miss.”</p><p>He was on his way to the dorm when he heard a familiar voice call, “Fearless Leader!”</p><p>“Yes!” Mort crowed eagerly as he turned, watching Nora bound towards him with a smile. “Aww, she got new clothes… But hey, the uniform looks good!”</p><p>He ignored the spirit and smiled, waving as the ginger berserker reached him and came to a stop and knelt to give him a hug that was much more gentle than he’d expected from her. She let him go after a moment and stood, smiling and planting a fist on her hips, “How you doin’, Jauney?”</p><p>“Better after that hug!” Mort cheered, “I bet you liked it too, Arc~”</p><p>“I’m fine.” He smiled, waving a hand at his bandaged leg, the uniform pants rolled up neatly from where the nurse had worked on it. “Just a bit of a fracture. With Aura helping out, I’ll be fine by the morning.”</p><p>“That’s good to hear then.” Ren said quietly as he joined them, laying a hand on the small of the Valkyrie’s back familiarly. Smiling warmly, she leaned back into the touch while he went on, “Nora and I were worried about you after they rushed you off like that. I figured they were just being fast, but Nora…”</p><p>“Hey, I like who I like. Can’t help it, won’t be ashamed of it.” She beamed, shrugging and throwing an arm around Ren, tugging him in against her broad shoulder. “And I worry ‘bout who I worry ‘bout, too. Right now, s’you and Renny, here.”</p><p>“Well, I appreciate it.” Jaune smiled, “Really, I do.”</p><p>“Good, good… Now, just pull her into your- Ow!” Mort whined as his finger clicked off the tip of his gem again. Growling, the sword spirit whined jokingly, “What?! She’s perfect, Arc! Broad shoulders, short hair, and she could kick your ass literally across the school grounds!”</p><p>“Well, I dunno about you guys, but I’m starving to death over here.” He chuckled, smiling as he turned and buzzed along down the hallway, “Anyone up for some pizza? We made a good showing of ourselves out there, so I think we’ve earned a good night.”</p><p>“Whoo!” Nora cheered, bouncing along to walk in front of him and smiling excitedly, “I love pizza!”</p><p>“Who doesn’t?” He laughed.</p><p>“Renny doesn’t.” She said quickly, turning to smile at him, “Don’t worry, Renny. I’m sure they have great salad here.”</p><p>“I’m sure they do, Nora.” The man chuckled, shaking his head and explaining, presumably for Jaune’s benefit, “I’m a vegetarian, when it’s not a matter of life or death. I don’t mind cooking meat for anyone else, I won’t force my beliefs onto others like that, but I won’t partake myself.”</p><p>“Huh.” He hadn’t seen that coming… “But not when things are rough? Like, out in the wilds?”</p><p>“I’ve a moral compunction against theft, too, but I would steal bread to eat.” He explained simply, shrugging as they reached the door and Nora bounced over to the reader to slide her Scroll over it and unlock the door, “It’s a moral decision, a moral belief, but I’m not an idiot. If I have to steal, or kill, to survive or to keep Nora alive then I will. I won’t like it, obviously, but I know where I stand.”</p><p>And the way he said that echoed personal experience on that front, too. Enough that Jaune didn’t press the issue, even for curiosity’s sake.</p><p>Instead, he just shrugged and said, “Hey, I’ve had a few mean salads in my days. Some of the villages I passed through were all agriculture, so the local dishes only really had veggies. And maybe some fish, if I was lucky.”</p><p>Inside, the dorm was a simple affair. Four simple twin beds lined two of the walls, with small nightstands set in between them. A very large dresser sat next to the door, with space enough for all of their uniforms and then some. Surprisingly enough, the dorm even came with its own bathroom, which took up most of the right side. A couple simple desks were set against the rest of the wall on the bathroom side, and nice paintings had been hung all along the walls.</p><p>“Place is pretty sweet!” Nora cheered, leaping onto the bed closest to the door and bouncing high while Jaune coughed and rolled by. She sighed as the bed rocked and settled down, hands behind her head. “Awww, so much nicer than a sleeping bag.”</p><p>“You can say that again.” Jaune chuckled, standing long enough to unbuckle Mort Noire and lean it against the head of the bed he was claiming, across the room from Nora. Then he took a seat himself and sighed, flicking open his Scroll, “Place your orders, friends o’ mine. I’m hurt enough to get delivery.”</p><p>“Oh, delivery is even better!” Nora cheered, sitting up and smiling brightly. </p><p>Almost on cue, the door beeped open and Pyrrha stepped through sheepishly. Her hair tie was gone, now, letting her long hair spill down her back, only held out of her face by her bronzed circlet. Her armor was gone, too, replaced by the same uniform they all wore. Rubbing her arm anxiously and string at the floor, she shuffled across the dorm room and took a seat on the only empty bed left, leg bouncing nervously.</p><p>Finally, after a long, confused moment, she offered, “I’m sorry, I, um, normally… I don’t like not wearing my armor. Not in small rooms like this, at least. So, um, I’m sorry. Just ignore me, I’ll adjust.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Jaune asked her, smiling when emerald eyes turned to him. “We can step out to let you get used to the space if you need.”</p><p>“Y-You’d…” She blinked, “Do that?”</p><p>“Sure.” he shrugged, “Why not? You’re our friend. Nora, Ren, you agree right?”</p><p>“Of course I do!” Nora beamed widely, holding up a finger nad bouncing it up and down as she enunciated, “Any problem of a friend of mine is a problem of mine, too! I don’t mind helpin’ out no matter how I do it.”</p><p>“I might have to go check the library of one of the four most prestigious academies on Remnant out.” Ren remarked dryly, smirking, “Woe is me, woe is me. How ever will I survive such a tribulation?”</p><p>“You’re so kind, though you only met me last night…” Pyrrha sounded shocked and wary, but he saw the little smile that played across her lips. After a long moment, she relaxed, straightening and uncurling. And then, she sighed, “I would not put you out for mere comfort, my friends. I believe I overheard talk of food? I could stand to eat, after the day I have had.”</p><p>“Same here, Pyr. So is pizza and salad good for everyone?” Jaune asked after a moment, earning curt nods from them all. Flicking open his Scroll to set his order, he got to work while Ren and Nora moved the nightstand from between their bed and pushed the twin together.</p><p>“It’s nothin’ naughty!” Nora said when Pyrrha asked about it, looking… More sheepish than Nora normally did. In fairness, he’d known her less than forty eight hours at this point, but he felt he had a good grip on her character. “We just… Out there, we sleep together. S’a comfort thing, that’s all.”</p><p>“Doesn’t bother me.” He shrugged, “Pyr?”</p><p>“I lived in the Arena’s barracks for quite a time.” The woman laughed, a light, airy sound that seemed almost out of place from the muscled, scarred young woman. “You could have told me you did intend to, shall we say, test the supports and I would have simply asked for fair warning.”</p><p>“Oh my god!” Nora smiled, “Lewd!”</p><p>They shared a laugh at that while Jaune finished his order. Then he relaxed on his bed and closed his eyes, savoring the smell of clean cotton. In a week or two he was sure that he’d miss the smell of the forest. But right then and there, he couldn’t have been happier not to be out in the sticks.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“And, as our most decorated of the new year for killing two of the high class Grimm left out in the field, we have team Juniper.” Ozpin said, gesturing to the four of them standing at the front of the ten teams of first years that had been allowed through. RWBY was at their side, Ruby’s arm in a cast while Weiss sat in a wheelchair. Still, they’d passed and seemed proud of it while Ozpin went on, “Their fight against the Armored Kong and then the Deathstalker stands as a testament to Beacon’s philosophy of Hunter combat. Teamwork, in all things, only makes a fight easier.”</p><p>“And, as the young man who came up with the plans to deal with the enemies to hand, Jaune of House Arc shall lead them.” Ozpin smiled, turning and offering a hand to him. Jaune took it, shaking it firmly, and Ozpin said, “Good luck, young man. You’re going to need it, soon enough.”</p><p>“That’s not foreboding at all…” Mort murmured, “The hell does that mean?”</p><p>Jaune couldn’t be sure, really. All he knew was that the first big step on the road he’d chosen such a long time ago had come, and he’d made it.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Mog the Gnome :</p><p>Glad you like it!</p><p>Arche Aryan :</p><p>*sips tea quietly and suspiciously*</p><p>Brick Laying Psycho :</p><p>That fight was supposed to be from Jaune’s perspective, lol. In hindsight, I actually think jumping away from him would have been the better idea.</p><p>Smokey Panda :</p><p>As stated, the Deathstalker is an ambush predator. And it’s one smart enough not to kill Ruby or Weiss, but rather to incapacitate them and lay another, separate ambush. This is all meant to show that the Deathstalker is smart. And if I were it, I would pick off the actual Hunter early. Which ought to be obvious by their apparent ages.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. A Day Off</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus, Private Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>The next few days were a flurry of activity, between medical check-ups to make sure everything was all right and signing the last bits of paperwork left for enrollment. And insurance to, of course. In Vale proper, everyone had basic medical and dental coverage, more or less, but ‘basic’ was rarely good enough for Hunters. So Beacon offered extra coverage, going so far as covering destroyed weapons and armor as part of the school package.</p><p>Which was… Neat, he supposed, at least for everyone else. </p><p>But losing his weapon would have a solid handful of problems that weren’t exactly covered by Beacon’s insurance package. And he was less than enthused about having spent an entire day on it, too. But even if he didn’t have a lot of use for the equipment insurance, his team did, and one of them was ecstatic about a particular clause.</p><p>“So apparently, for explosives experts like moi, Beacon replaces Dust ‘n shells ‘n stuff!” Nora explained as the four of them walked the busy halls of the Academy. “Just gotta get certified for it s’all.”</p><p>“And how do you go about getting that, Sister?” Pyrrha asked quietly, still seemingly anxious without her armor and weapons, but comfortable enough with the three of them surrounding her. “Because from what I have seen already, you are more than merely proficient with high explosives.”</p><p>“Gee, thanks P-money.” The stocky Mistralian laughed, throwing an arm around the other woman and very quickly flustering her as they walked. “Worked hard on making things go boom real nice. Glad to see someone appreciates it!”</p><p>“I appreciate your skills, Nora.” Ren sighed, “Just not when they’re applied to barns we are inside of.”</p><p>“Oooooh, I sense a story…” Mort cackled some of the first words Jaune had heard all day, outside of the usual comments about how much they wanted to hug Ruby or something to that effect.</p><p>“Oh come on already, Renny!” Nora whined playfully, throwing her arms high and letting the more lithe, and more flushed, Mistralian go. Rounding on her partner and pointing a long, calloused finger in his face playfully, she bounced along, “First off, that barn was already coming down!”</p><p>“One of its beams was just a bit old.”</p><p>“Second off, he said he wanted it gone!”</p><p>“He said it was an eyesore and joked about knocking it down…”</p><p>“And third, it was an accident!” She laughed, waving him off and strutting on, hands clasped behind her head, “I mean, come on. Who could have possibly known that lightin’ Lightning Dust on fire would make that big of a boom?”</p><p>“I mean…” Pyrrha murmured absently, rubbing the back of her neck and smiling sheepishly, “I would have?”</p><p>“Whaaaa- Betrayal? From you p-Money?” Nora faux-gasped, clutching her cheeks in pretend shock and pain as she whined, “Oh, say it ain’t so, P! And here I thought we had something special, too!”</p><p>“W-What?” Pyrrha blinked, unsure of what to do until Nora threw her muscle-bound arms around the woman in a bone crushing hug. “I-I’m sorry?!”</p><p>“But it’s okay, though!” The Valkyrie cheered excitedly, staggering along with the gladiator in her arms, “Gals who kill big furry monsters together stick together! We’ll get through this rough patch together, no worries! We just need a bonding exercise!”</p><p>“L-Like w-what?” The woman choked out, grunting as her self-proclaimed ‘Sister’ finally let her god. Coughing and pounding a fist into her ribs she suggested, quietly, “Um, I have a shoot in a few hours? You could… Come with?”</p><p>“And we could get inked!” Nora nodded brightly, throwing an arm around her and Ren’s shoulders while Jaune smiled and trailed along behind them. Quietly, for Nora at least, she asked, “That, uh, was serious, out in Initiation, right? No suggestion’ it if it ain’t, just… tryin’ to be open, ya know?”</p><p>“I was serious, yes.” Pyrrha said, a bit of confidence seeming to come back to her as she talked about something more familiar. “You do not have to if you do not wish to, of course, but while I was at the shoot I was… Going to have an Inker stop by, make an event of it. I’m certain that the medias running the shoot would love to, as well.”</p><p>“An Inker?” Jaune asked, “What’s that? Like a tattooist?”</p><p>“More or less, yes, except tied into the Arena and the Mistralian faith that abounds around it.” Pyrrha nodded, turning to pay him a smile and stepping to the side to let him step into rank with them, rather than trail along behind them. When he did, her smile widened just a hair and she went on, “They’re anointed- Fighters from the Arena, I mean, champions and survivors that have… Well, fed the sand. The Gods of the Arena blessed them with victory and a skill at art, and so they are allowed to be Inkers.”</p><p>“So it’s a kind of a blood cult.” Mort wondered quietly, humming a raspy tune, “Neat. She doesn’t seem crazy though, so no worries.”</p><p>“I’ve never gotten a tattoo. Or been in a photo shoot, either.” Jaune shrugged, resting a hand on the pommel of his sword as they went. “I’m game if everyone else is, I suppose.”</p><p>“I’m so in on this!” Nora laughed, bouncing excitedly in the way she liked to do and turning to her more restrained partner with a smile. “Renny, can we? Pleeeeease?”</p><p>“...I suppose that I do need to stock up on ingredients in any event.” He sighed after a long moment, smiling when Nora wrapped him up in one of her big hugs. Eventually she let him go and he straightened his blazer, smiling still, “We probably need to get a message to Yang, though. She’ll end us all if we do this without her.”</p><p>“How can you be so sure?”</p><p>“Just a feeling.” Ren smiled, patting him on the shoulder and shrugging, “I’ve learned to go with them.”</p><p>With a little bit of discussion, it was quickly decided that Nora should call Yang, since they were more likely to get along. After even less discussion, Nora hung up and grinned, “She’s in! Gonna drag her team out, too. Weiss-Cream wasn’t as excited ‘bout getting a tat or doin’ pictures, but one lil’ word ‘bout P-Money being there and she melted.”</p><p>“O-Oh…” Pyrrha smiled, “Well that’s nice, I suppose.”</p><p>“Whelp.'' Mort sighed, the sound rasping along Jaune’s ears as always, “Looks like the explosives lover found the landmine. It’d be funny and ironic if I didn’t feel so sad.”</p><p>Jaune caught the very real lack of happiness about that tidbit from his partner even without Mort’s words and shrugged, offering subtly, “Schnee like her? Probably grew up sheltered. I’ll bet good Lien that in a couple weeks she’ll cool off with the big doe eyes.”</p><p>“Probs, yeah. Fan game’ll wear off once she sees ya runnin’ around for a lil’ bit, P-Money.” Nora smiled, waving it off with a lot less subtlety than Jaune had but earning a surprised snort from the gladiator where he’d only gotten a grimace. So… Well, that was that, he supposed. “Anywho, let’s get goin’! Pizza ‘n tats, here we cooome!”</p><p>All Jaune could do was laugh at his teammate’s exuberance and keep a wary, worried eye on his partner as they made their way to the docks.</p><p>A few supply ships had come in through the night, bigger than Bullheads with large cargo containers all along a hollowed out stomach and massive engines on the front and back. A light ball turret jutted out from the top and back, between each set of engines and above the wide-windowed cockpit at the fore of the massive craft. Those were nestled closer to the front, marked in Atlesian colors - or, well, a lack there-of - and swarmed by the drones that the Kingdom liked to use for everything they could manage to.</p><p>And, further back with a single uniformed pilot waiting patiently, was a simple bullhead like the ones Beacon used. Albeit painted in Mistrali colors and with a pair of missile pods hugging the hull under each of the wings.</p><p>“You have a private Bullhead, P-Money?” Nora crowed excitedly as they meandered around the larger ships on the docks at Beacon’s rear where, true to Nora’s words, a large, chromed silver and red airship was waiting for them.</p><p>“W-Well, um, t-technically, it’s owned by the Mistralian government. They own the- Uh, the Arena, which sponsored me coming here.” Pyrrha stammered out quickly and quietly as they trotted across the mostly empty bay. “They own the airship, and my ticket to Beacon. A-And my, uh, pass to be in Vale, too.”</p><p>“Wait just a sec- does Mistral own your papers?” Jaune asked, blinking owlishly when Pyrrha nodded, quiet and very obviously anxious, “So if they wanted to, they could just… Make you go back to Mistral?”</p><p>“They very easily could, yes.” She nodded sheepishly, grabbing his arm and tugging them to a stop before they got closer to the Bullhead. “It is fine, Brother. I swear it. Please, leave it alone. I worked for years for this, and knew what I was getting into when I began. This is… just our way.”</p><p>“Sounds like a pretty shitty way to me…”</p><p>“I won’t cause you any problems, Pyr, don’t stress.” He promised easily, Mort humming his assent quietly. It was important the spirit agreed too, even if Pyrrha couldn’t hear it, because nothing would stop them. “Neither will Ren or Nora. Right, guys?”</p><p>“Nah, won’t do nothin’.'' Nora answered quietly, her eyes sharp and appraising even as she smiled. “Not unless I’m asked to, o’course. But hey, if Pyrrha asks me to, I’ll start smashin’, no problem.”</p><p>“I appreciate that but for now…”</p><p>“We have your back.” Ren offered gently, “And a shoot to get to, I believe.”</p><p>“That we do.” She sighed, turning and plastering a thin smile onto her face that Jaune could practically feel straining to stay. “That we do, and I believe we are spending our time idling when we could spend it in Vale. With good food and perhaps music.” </p><p>“And tats! Can’t forget ‘em.” Nora added excitedly, flicking her croll out when it chimed, “Ah, Yang ‘n the others are already in Vale. Meet us at the shoot, just where it’s at on her Scroll.”</p><p>“The new mall out on the boulevard, near the docks.” Pyrrha answered quietly as they closed on the Mistrali Bullhead and the crewman sauntered over to them. “I have to go through inspect now, make sure I look alright before we head out, and let them know others are coming with me. They will not mind over much, but it’s procedure…”</p><p>‘I’ll call Yang, let her know where to head.” Nora volunteered eagerly enough, shooting Jaune a look and then bobbing her head at Pyrrha’s back as the woman was dragged off. Quietly, she mouthed, “Keep an eye on her.”</p><p>“Well if the lady asks, then we will just have to deliver. Eh, Jaune?” Mort chuckled, as always seemingly incapable of taking anything too seriously unless someone was about to die. “Best keep an eye on the beautiful killer from another land. Woe is me!”</p><p>Oh, how Jaune wished that the two of them were alone so he could tell them off… but he supposed a flick to the gem would have to do.</p><p>“Gah, son of a- You know I could taze you, right?”</p><p>Jaune just smirked and snorted and, when Pyrrha waved for him to, came over to show his ID to the Bullhead pilot. Nora and Ren had to do the same and after a few moments, they were loaded up.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>The mall they were headed to was typical Vale and Atlas fare, several subterranean floors filled with stores, restaurants and everything else a mall needed to run. Above it was a huge open-air park that split four apartment complexes built above the mall, which he’d been told had elevators that could go from the apartment blocks right down to the mall itself. Or, if you wanted to, you could go to the corners and take one of the larger express elevators to the subway stops that the mall had been built around.</p><p>Right in the center of Vale’s business district, too, which meant almost everyone that lived in the city would have stops at the mall. Along with the few thousand people in the apartments, it was a fairly secure income stream…</p><p>“And only at the cost of who knows how many taxpayer dollars, too.” He murmured under his breath, leaning against the Bullhead’s hull and peering out the side window. </p><p>On the outside, the Mistrali ship might have looked different, but the inside was the same as Beacon’s. A few seats were tucked against the hull towards the front, near the cockpit, but the rest of the space was left bare. At least aside from a heavy machine gun on a spindling arm set into the ceiling that could be yanked down and turned to face out either door. Which would be convenient, if they had to defend themselves.</p><p>But made him wonder just why something so heavily armed was playing taxi for Pyrrha…</p><p>“Somethin’ up, fearless Leader?” Nora asked, throwing an arm around his shoulders and laying against his back so she could peer out the window too. “Been starin’ out the window like it stabbed your mom in the leg or stole your breakfast.”</p><p>“I feel like those aren’t the same kind of problem…?”</p><p>“Spoken like a man who’s never had his breakfast stolen...” Mort chipped in quietly, sighing wistfully, like old men in Ansel had when they were remembering ‘the good old days’. “I remember someone stole my breakfast once, back in the day, and I spent a week tracking her down to take my revenge.”</p><p>Somehow, Jaune doubted that was a true story.</p><p>“Just thinking.” He sighed, doing his very best to ignore the pretty girl laid against his back. Chivalrous it might not have been, but damn it he was seventeen… “This Bullhead is pretty heavily armed, for just being here in Vale. And the hull looks more armored, too.”</p><p>“Mistral’s government prefers to have their craft fitted for combat.” Pyrrha offered quietly from her seat at the front of the shuttle, “I have personally never seen the weapons or armor needed, but I suppose it is better to be safe than to be eaten by Grimm.”</p><p>“That’s one way to phrase it, I suppose…” Ren murmured as Nora’s Scroll chimed and she pushed off Jaune’s back, flicking it open as the shuttle angled and turned, headed for a landing zone he couldn’t see from his small window. “Message from RWBY?”</p><p>“Yup yup.” Nora chirped, “Waitin’ at the edge of the marked off area. P-Money, think you can get a message off so they’re allowed in?”</p><p>“They already are. Or, well, should be at least.” Pyrrha answered quickly as her leg started to bounce as the shuttle eased into its landing place. “They just have to find security, say who they are and why they are there, and present their ID cards.”</p><p>“Got it, I’ll tell ‘em.” Nora nodded as the shuttle’s side doors slid open on either side and they dropped out.</p><p>Almost instantly, a swarm of uniformed workers swarmed them, and he felt hands on his shoulders, trying to pull him away. The panic that descended on him was sudden, his heart racing as an elbow snapped out and cracked someone on the head. His other grabbed his sheath while his hand sought out the pommel while he backpedaled, looking for room to draw.</p><p>Suddenly, he felt another hand on his shoulders and felt… Calm wash over him, as Ren explained, “They’re just make-up and dressers. For a thing like this, they can be rather… Well, pushy, in a word.”</p><p>“R-Right, yeah, that, uh, makes sense.” He nodded, suddenly aware of the wide eyes he was getting from the workers and staffers, and the young woman that was cradling the side of her head. Coughing and relaxing, he raised a hand in a meek wave and said, “Sorry, I… Spent a lot of time out on the Frontier. Everyone surrounding me like that, I just panicked.”</p><p>That seemed to mollify most of them and, a bit more gently this time, he felt someone take his arm to lead him off. Looking over a shoulder he could see the rest of his team suffering the same treatment while Pyrrha talked to an older woman in a fine, silk looking dress. Who that was, he had no idea. But Pyrrha looked nervous talking to the blue-haired woman so Jaune instantly didn't like her all that much.</p><p>What could he say, he was petty like that.</p><p>An area the size of a football field had been cordoned off by the medias running the photo shoot, tents and wires running all around its edge like a circus. He was herded into one and so was his team. Across the way he even spotted a mop of remarkable blonde that just had to belong to Yang, and he did not envy anyone that laid a finger on that mane.</p><p>Inside, the tent was mostly empty aside from a stool and a stand of make-up. He didn’t know what it was, but the trio of people that came in with him obviously did. And they told him to sit down so they could ‘work’.</p><p>So he did, as much as it felt like he was their doll while they manhandled him.</p><p>“I was in there for half an hour.” He grouched when they finally pushed him out of the little tent and he paced away,  “Feels like all they did was smack some kind of… Powder on me, though.”</p><p>“That is all they did, Lord Arc.” A quiet voice said as he paced away. He turned to sww Blake stepping out from some shade under a tree where he’d somehow not seen her a heartbeat before, a book tucked under her arm. She waved her free hand at her face and explained quietly, “The powder stops skin glare, which can cause issues with cameras. Especially in natural light like this.”</p><p>“Ah.” He shrugged, “Make-up’s not my forte. My sisters taught me a bit back in Ansel when I was little, but, uh… Not for photography.”</p><p>“Mhm.” She hummed, and somehow even that simple sound came off strangely mysterious, calculating and analytical. Like Blake was appraising him. But she didn’t pause to watch him, moving on without a second thought, “You’re the last one, we’ve all already taken out pictures.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Mhm.” She nodded, “I imagine they were gentler with you. Slower. Given you concussed one of them.”</p><p>“Ah…”</p><p>“Good job, Jauney my boy.” Mort laughed, “This is all boring to me, I'm only paying attention for my favorite ladies. But you already concussed some innocent person? For shame, for shame!”</p><p>“Sorry.” He shrugged, “You waited for me?”</p><p>“Something like that, yes.’ She nodded, marching ahead in her Beacon uniform, her heels clicking quietly as she went. “Mostly, I just wanted some peace and quiet to read. The team is… Well, difficult.”</p><p>“Schnee causing you problems?” He asked quietly, frowning deep and hard at the thought, “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was.”</p><p>“No, no, Weiss is actually… Well, a headache, were I honest.” Blake sighed, waving him off when he paid her a look, one brow raised curiously. Sighing, Blake explained, “She is young, but her head is full of old ideas. Old beliefs. Weiss herself, though? She listens, as long as there’s logic to hear. I argue a point, she screams and storms off. Next morning, she comes in with tea just how I like it.”</p><p>“That’s…” he grimaced, “Polite.”</p><p>“Careful, Jaune.” Mort snickered, “You might strain yourself.”</p><p>“It is that, yes. I’ll make a true revolutionary of her yet. Put at least some of the world’s wrongs right. At least those in the Dust market...” Blake murmured, paying him a smile and raising a brow, “I suppose an Arc wouldn’t mind that terribly, now would he?”</p><p>“No. No he would not.” Jaune smiled, “i don’t think it’s possible, frankly, but… You are welcome to try and surprise me.”</p><p>“Well, I’m not one to balk from a challenge. A revolutionary Schnee…” Blake chuckled under her breath as they made their way to a cluster of people. Sighing, she added, “But now’s not the time for politics. No, now’s the time for tattoos. Apparently.” </p><p>“Hey, could’ve stayed home.” He shrugged, “Could slip off now, too, if you don’t want to do this. I won’t say anything.”</p><p>“No, Yang would just track me down.” She sighed as they slipped into the crowd, “Better, easier, to just let it happen and move on. And hey, I’ve always wanted a tattoo…”</p><p>“Well, nothing to it but to do it, I guess. That’s what my Father used to say, anyway.” He spotted a few familiar mops of hair, blonde and white and vibrant red through the crowd and laid a hand on the pommel or Mort Noire comfortably. Nora was the first to spot them, though, bouncing up and down and waving happily. “Time for our chat’s up anyway.”</p><p>“It does look that way.” She sighed, “Let’s get this over with.”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Mostly a character chapter today, not a lot of major story. Just wanted to pas some in-universe time and get some needed characterization in before stuffs kicks off again. Have a good time everyone!</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>None of It :</p><p>Thank you? lol.</p><p>Ravell Aqim :</p><p>Yeah. Jaune and Pyrrha are the ones to have faced the largest changes, but even they hold true to the core of their characters if you know where to look specifically. Jaune is still incredibly team oriented and caring, which we saw him grow into. Essentially, I just took V7 Jaune, tweaked him to the world’s settings, then put him in V1. And Pyrrha is still honorable and dutiful, but with a different code to actually apply that nature to.</p><p>Frosty Chops :</p><p>Glad you enjoy the story, friend-o.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. History's Weight - I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Welcome and good morning.” The good doctor, Bartholomew Oobleck, rattled off nearly three weeks into their year’s attendance at the Academy. As they took their seats, many of them nursing coffee, soda and breakfast bars since they knew the teacher wouldn’t care so long as they were attentive, he went on. “Now that we have established a broad, if basic, understanding of history we can begin discussing historical events in earnest. And I’ve decided, due to reasons the astute will know, to start with the Color Wars.”</p><p>“The Color Wars?” An Atlesian student in the seat behind their assigned spot muttered confusedly as they sat down, “When did that happen?”</p><p>“You might know it as the Great War, Miss Alabaster.” Doctor Oobleck answered swiftly, “I know that Atlas doesn’t tend to use ‘Color War’ in educational parlance, even if academia does.”</p><p>“Ah…”</p><p>“And that, I believe, is a perfect starting point!” Doctor Oobleck smiled, turning and reading out as he wrote on his board, “Why do some Kingdoms call it ‘the Great War’ and some ‘the Color War’? Miss Schnee, you look interested in the subject. Care to answer?”</p><p>“Yes, thank you, Prof- Doctor.” She said, standing a few feet down from him, in amongst team RWBY, to answer. “The reason is because, officially, several of the Kingdoms do not recognize culpability in the conflict. Mantle no longer exists, of course, but Mistral does not wish to seem to have been at war with art. Vacuo does not wish to recognize certain naval violations that brought Mantle against them, and Vale does not wish to recognize that by sending their own warriors to aid Vacuo they were ostensibly assaulting Mantle.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Winchester agreed from across the room and two rows down. “Arcs should’a just minded their own damn business. But like they always do, they went an’ started shit.”</p><p>“My family was bound in an alliance to House Cornel.” Jaune found himself on his feet before he could even think about it, glaring at the Winchester hotly. “And we made it very obvious we weren’t representing Vale when we sent our forces, Winchester!”</p><p>“Apparently not obvious enough.” Winchester laughed, “But hey. Fuck around and find out, I guess.”</p><p>“You bast-</p><p>“Children, this is not the place for an argument.” Oobleck cut in, looking between the two of them slowly and then leveling a hard gaze on Jaune until he took his seat. Sighing, the older man said, “Lord Arc, I understand that you have some… Emotions in place, regarding this issue. But please, do not swear in my hall.”</p><p>“I apologize, Sir.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Lord.” The man smiled, “History ought to raise the passions in more students. So long as we keep our collective cool.”</p><p>“Yeah, Jaune. Keep your cool.” Mort whispered eerily in his ear, sending a chill up his spine like normal. “Your temper is going to end up getting you into trouble if you don’t.”</p><p>“Sensitive subject.” He answered, talking as much to Mort as he was to Nora when she laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a worried look. “Don’t worry about it, I should have kept my cool.”</p><p>“As I said, passions flaring for history are good! If only-”</p><p>“If I may, Doctor Oobleck?” Weiss actually cut the man off, smiling apologetically and raising a hand. When the man nodded for her to speak, she said, “While Mistral did use the excuse of the Arcs going to help Vacuo to justify the so called Night of Red Roads, I do not believe that was an honest claim.”</p><p>“No?” Oobleck smiled, “And why not?”</p><p>“The Arcs are a House with friendly ties to the Faunus, and Mistral was having serious issues with them at the time. Faunus bandits and revolutionaries even came into Mistral to rescue who they could of the Valean delegation because of the Arc presence.” Weiss explained quietly, “Further, Mistral and Vale had been suffering diplomatically due to technological advances raising the value of islands scattered between the two continents.”</p><p>“So you believe that this was merely Mistral’s excuse for a war they already wanted, Miss Schnee?”</p><p>“I do, yes.” She nodded, “And while the Arcs did do what Mantle and Mistral claimed, I feel it’s unfair to blame them in any way. It’s very possible Mantle chose to target House Cornel more viciously. This would explain their delaying to sack and execute estates and family members more often than they were elsewhere doing.”</p><p>“An astute observation.” Oobleck complimented, gesturing for her to return to her seat and going on. “It is true that Mantlelian forces were far less restrained with Cornel holdings than elsewhere. Lord Arc, your thoughts?”</p><p>“We… Don’t have a lot of records, after the attack by the Human supremacists that kicked off the Faunus Rights Revolution.” Jaune shrugged, turning a very obvious, heated look on Winchester and adding, lowly, “The neighboring Houses took pains to destroy our library and archive.”</p><p>“Sounds like the Arcs should have fought harder to protect their stuff.” Cardin shrugged dismissively, “Instead of a bunch of animals.”</p><p>“Excuse me?!”</p><p>“Miss Belladonna, do not raise your tone in my class.” Oobleck rushed to cut in, before the argument could devolve further. “Mister Winchester, Beacon Academy does not abide slurs. You will report to my classroom every day for the next week for detentions and writings, and receive a strike on your record.”</p><p>“You have to be joking-”</p><p>“Would you like me to double both?” Oobleck challenged and, after a moment, Winchester sighed and waved him off, crossing his arms and scowling petulantly at a wall. Sighing wearily, Oobleck said, “I think this ought to be dropped, now, and we should return to the Color War.”</p><p>No one made to argue, and even Jaune had to admit he did not want to dredge up these bits of his family’s past right now. So after a couple moments, the professor turned back to his notes to find a new starting point.</p><p>“Now then, we all understand the various lines of conflict in this war, so I won’t dwell on that matter.” Oobleck said quickly, stealing a moment to take a drink from his thermos and going on, “Instead, who would like to tell me what, in their opinion, was the greatest thing which shaped this period of conflict?”</p><p>“Tanks?”</p><p>“Hunter shock corps?”</p><p>“Uh, beter rifles?”</p><p>“Mantle’s air force.” Jaune called out over the questioning guesses. Oobleck raised his brow and Jaune explained, “Basic rifles and the older styles of tanks and legged, armored vehicles some Kingdoms used had no defence against air-strikes and bombing runs. The first couple years were dominated by planes and airships, until Vacuoan engineers invented the flak shell.”</p><p>“With help from Faunus engineers.” Blake added firmly, “The idea to use shrapnel canister shells on air targets for spread was from an avian Faunus named Alex.”</p><p>“Indeed! And a good answer, in my opinion as well.” Doctor Oobleck praised them both, “While tanks and the integration of technology for better weapons, as well as the usage of Hunters a shock corps, all had substantial effects on the war there was little in the early years of it that had as much effect as the air forces of Mantle.”</p><p>“However, it is to be noted that once Vale shared the schematics for their anti-air systems and shrapnel shells with Vacuo, Mantle’s air forces began to suffer severely. Enough so that they were forced to pull back, operating as strike forces rather than simply standing supremacy over a given battlefield.” Doctor Oobleck went on, frowning deeply, “Unfortunately, this meant that the shift away from the old doctrine of trench and rank combat ceased. And in fact, since the anti-air emplacements had to be built on-site and were very large, it was incentivized.”</p><p>“So, next question.” He smiled, “What finally broke the bloody, ceaseless and wasteful tactic of trench and charge?”</p><p>Before anyone could answer, the class bell rang and Oobleck sighed. While they packed, he called out, “I want a three page essay on the merits and detriments of trench and rank charge tactics tomorrow! We’ll continue our conversation using your observations and opinions on the matter.”</p><p>“Ooooh, this one’s gonna be fun…”</p><p>“You can’t do the whole essay on how great explosives were at destroying trenches and bunkers, Nora.” Ren sighed knowingly, raising a single finger to quiet her when she started to argue, “At least use half a page for something else?”</p><p>“That’s fair!” Nora nodded as they made their way down the steps and towards the door. “I might do it on the anti-air shells, though. Dunno much about ‘em, and they sound interesting. Maybe I can use the idea for something…”</p><p>“Canister shells alone would be quite a threat to less armored Grimm.” Pyrrha pointed out, “Beowolves, Creeps, Nevermore even, and-”</p><p>“Arc!”</p><p>“No, I don’t think they would be good against h- Ah!” Distracted and lost in thought, Pyrrha squeaked as Cardin shoved her aside and pointed a long finger in Jaune’s face. Scowling, he snarled, “You got me a mark on my record, you ass! I ought to Hrk!”</p><p>“I imagine that was your racial epithets, actually.” Pyrrha growled, tightening her arm around his throat and pressing a foot to the back of one of his knees to force him down. He choked and she smiled viciously, whispering into his ear, “I fought in the Arena, Winchester. So maybe you ought to reconsider your plans if you wish to threaten my friends, hmm?”</p><p>“Miss Nikos!” Oobleck hissed as he came over to the crowd that had lingered to watch, more interested in a fight than lunch. Which was weird, considering the Academy literally had a fighting arena. He laid a hand on the redhead’s shoulder and, quietly, warned, “You know what it would mean if an Arena gladiator hurts a student, Miss Nikos. Please, do not force me to send you back to that place.”</p><p>After a long moment, Pyrrha gave the professor a look, then sighed and released the young Winchester. He gasped, red-faced from lack of air, and flopped to the floor, sucking in a deep breath while he scrambled away from her. Standing, the man shot her a look and then shot Jaune one before he stormed off in a foul fury.</p><p>“I believe all of you have better to do than loiter.” Oobleck called out warningly, giving Pyrrha’s back a few calming pats before moving back towards his desk. “Lunch, for one. And anyone not on their way there when I get to my desk needn’t worry if they are so bored as to be loitering in my class. I can remedy that problem!”</p><p>That, at least, got them moving along a bit quicker.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Pyrrha said after a few quiet, tense minutes of walking to the cafeteria. “I should not have… I just reacted on instinct.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Pye. I appreciated it.” Jaune smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly while Nora loomed on her other side, eyes like a hawk watching for her to get more upset. “It’s not often anyone steps up to defend me, and out on the frontier I learned to appreciate it.”</p><p>“Still…” She murmured, chewing on her lip, “I have to be more controlled. Especially with the nobility.”</p><p>“Or… What?” Nora prompted, wrapping a strong arm around her friend’s waist and tugging her gently into a hug. For once, Pyrrha didn’t even flush, just letting herself be handled and sighing contentedly. “What was Professor Doctor Oobleck saying, about… Sending you back?”</p><p>“If I fall too far behind in my studies, or… Make a show of myself in a poor light, then Mistral will rescind my tuition.” She explained quietly, “And when I am home, I will be punished for my disgrace. And then consigned back to the Arena for what remains of my life.”</p><p>“That’s…” Jaune blinked, “Can they force you to go into the Arena like that?”</p><p>“My life belongs to Mistral, Jaune.” She explained quietly, turning a weak smile on him like she was expecting it to make him feel better, somehow. “So yes, they can. And while they refrained from pitting me against too great of threats for seeing my talent, and knowing what I could become, I doubt they would if I was forced back.”</p><p>“Over my dead body.”</p><p>“Over my dead body.” Jaune said at the same time as the sword spirit. Ignoring the accidental chorus, he vowed, “If they even try, then they will have to get past me.”</p><p>“And the rest of the team.” Nora promised, squeezing the woman against her as they walked and finally earning a blush from the woman. “I called dibs, so no one is takin’ you anywhere come hell or high water, P-Money!”</p><p>“What is ‘dibs’?”</p><p>“It’s when you say something is yours before anyone else can get it.” Ren explained, offering an example a moment later, “‘Dibs on the first slice of pepperoni’, for instance.”</p><p>“Ah, I see.” Pyrrha blinked, “I… Don’t think you can call dibs on a person, though?”</p><p>Laughing, and with a sword thoroughly stuck in the foul mood they’d been in, the four of them marched along to the cafeteria.</p><p>As always, the cafeteria was a loud and crowded affair, with clusters of people meandering around the buffet bar set-up at the far end of the room. He took two steps to follow his team to the bars before he spotted RWBY at their usual table and frowned. Ruby met his eyes, then followed his gaze to Weiss and turned back to him, brows furrowing worriedly.</p><p>“You’re going to do what I think you’re gonna do, aren’t you?” He hummed at the spirit’s question and they sighed, “Well, can’t say I disagree with you. She needs to back off of Ruby, though.”</p><p>After a moment, he sighed and waved his team off with a murmured, “Snag me some pizza? Got something to do.”</p><p>When he got to the table Ruby and Weiss were laughing at something, which was stranger than the norm even for Beacon given how the latter had been acting a couple days ago. Why that was, he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. And he felt the wave of pleasure Mort felt about it, radiating through him like warmth from a hot fire. It cut off quickly though, as they cut the magical leakage, as the spirit called it, off.</p><p>As he got to their table, the four girls’ conversation died out and left the five of them in an… uncomfortable silence. Yang paid him a wave he returned, but seemed more interested in her brats than him. Blake and Ruby were just a bit more interested in him, but apparently only because of he and Weiss’ history, flicking glances between them. Ruby’s were worried, which he expected, more or less.</p><p>Blake’s, though, were amused and intrigued.</p><p>“Lord Arc.” Weiss said quietly, cutting a piece off her filet with a refined swipe of her knife, like she was at some gala or something instead of a noisome cafeteria. “Might I be of help to you?”</p><p>“Ooh,” Mort hissed amusedly, “frosty.”</p><p>“You already were, Schnee.” He said, waving a hand back at the door he’d come through, which was the closest to Oobleck’s lecture hall. “Back there. You cut in to defend my family, even with our families’… Differences. I wanted to let you know I appreciated it.”</p><p>“I defended the truth, my Lord.” Weiss answered coolly, “Not your family. So you ought to do us both a favor and save your thanks for another time.”</p><p>“Oh no…”</p><p>“I was just being nice, Schnee. There’s no reason to spit it back in my face.” He growled hotly, shaking his head and turning to Blake when Weiss only hummed and ignored him. “I genuinely don’t know how you handle her, Lady Belladonna.”</p><p>“It’s rather complicated, most of the time, if I’m honest. She’s a Schnee so, though not of her own fault it may be, she’s rather ignorant of Faunus sensitivities.” Blake answered quietly, taking a moment to slice away some salmon and savoring its taste. Then she gave him a pointed look and smiled, “We also avoid causing our families any political problems, though my own wouldn’t really care in any event.”</p><p>“Politics?” His brows furrowed confusedly, “What does this have to do with politics?”</p><p>“Like suggesting Weiss defended someone who has super made themselves her rival?” Yang suggested dryly, “Like, ya know, you?”</p><p> “Hmph.” He growled, sighing and shaking his head. Finally, he turned to leave and grunted a short and parting, “I suppose I’ll just take my leave, then. Before I cause the Schnee any problems she can’t-”</p><p>“You’re welcome, Jaune.” Weiss cut him off, making him turn back to the table with a single, confused brow raised. Smiling thinly, she shrugged, “Ruby told me the other day that we shouldn’t let what might happen decide what we do. If we do, then we only make what might be become what will be.” </p><p>“And that means what, exactly?” He asked, “What are you trying to say?”</p><p>“Weiss Schnee, of the SDC, can’t be friends with an Arc or a Belladonna. Nor can an Arc be friends with Weiss Schnee of the SDC.” She answered simply, turning a cool look on him, “But Weiss of Beacon Academy can be friends with Blake of the same. And, if we can ignore history’s weight, with Jaune. That’s why Weiss defended your family, Jaune, even if a Schnee didn’t. Couldn’t.”</p><p>“And that works for you two?”</p><p>“It keeps the peace, yes, Lord Arc.” Blake nodded, “We have our spats, our disagreements. But we respect each other, and each other’s arguments. And that… Does enough.”</p><p>“So…” Ruby cut in, chewing on a lip anxiously and looking between him and Weiss. “How about we have a game night on Friday? Try to, you know… Ignore history’s heaviness?”</p><p>“Weight…”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, same thing, besty.” Ruby waved the pale woman off, earning a pained sigh and a roll of the eyes from her partner. That only made her smile more warm, though, and Ruby asked, “So, can you just be Jaune and… Try?”</p><p>“I don’t know…”</p><p>“For me?” Ruby blinked, giving him a big eyed look and cocking her head to the side. “Please?”</p><p>“Shit, she’s weaponized the cuteness…”</p><p>“I’ll try, at least.” Jaune sighed, turning as Pyrrha called out to him and waving over his shoulder. “We’ll talk later, Ruby.”</p><p>“The team or the girl…?” Yang called out at his back, “Cuz those are a bit different, ya know!”</p><p>He only sighed and laughed again.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Steelrain :</p><p>Das weird. Until they left the school, it felt like just a really good, American high school anime. Wasn’t until they left the spark started to take.</p><p>Mog the Gnome :</p><p>*innocent whistling because he totally has noooooothing planned there*</p><p>Hirshja :</p><p>*innocent whistling continues*</p><p>Roxas Dual Wielder :</p><p>Swiss…?</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. History's Weight - II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Somehow, Friday came both all too quickly, and so slowly as to be a painful, foreboding mark at the end of a long week of studies and exercises. He fought in the training arena, wrote papers on how the Kingdoms applied tanks versus legged, mechanized units along with a handful of similar topics, practiced his survivalism techniques in the survival course, and more all through the week. All as normal, written out weeks ago in the lesson planners that most of the faculty had handed out to them all.</p><p>And always, Friday was marching forward, putting as much anxiety in him as any great Grimm he’d marched out to hunt down.</p><p>“Why?” He growled at no one in particular that morning while he showered, running his fingers through his short beard to get the soap in. “Why am I so damn anxious?”</p><p>“Do you want an answer, or are you talking to the wall…?”</p><p>“If you have an answer…”</p><p>“I think you’re afraid to be proven wrong about Weiss. Or to be an absolutely incredible ass, which is something I’m a bit of an expert on myself, and put everyone off.” Jaune rolled his eyes at his partner’s words, washing the soap out of his short beard and reaching for his razor to trim it into a finer goatee and Mort sighed. “I’m serious, Jaune.”</p><p>“Are you, Mort? Are you really?” He laughed, trimming it close around his lips and shaping the goatee idly. “Because right now, the most serious thing I can come up with is whether or not I should just shave this off.”</p><p>“Okay one, yes, you should shave it off.” The Spirit answered simply, “At least until your hair darkens a bit. Blonde beards are hideous until they get long enough to braid, if you ask me.”</p><p>“Well alright then.” He huffed, combing the beard and trimming it into a neater shape. It was a half-inch long, now, but trimmed into a goatee like it was he liked it. And frankly, it was his face to grow something on. “And the other thing?”</p><p>“I am being serious, yes.” Mort answered, “You’re just a man, Jaune. Don’t try and say you aren’t a prideful little shit. Humans always are.”</p><p>“Because you’re so much better?”</p><p>“Not really, no, but I’m more than old enough to know that what I’m saying is true.” Jaune scowled and opened his mouth to answer him, but Mort cut him off before he could, “If I’m wrong, then you ought to be able to counter my points, Jaune. So…?”</p><p>“Sometimes, I hate you…” Jaune sighed, “But no. I can’t.”</p><p>“There you go. See? Admitting to being wrong isn’t that hard.” The sword laughed their sinister, echoing laugh again. If not for the hot water, it would have sent a shiver up Jaune’s spine. As it was, it certainly tried its best to, his shoulders breaking out in goosebumps. He ignored them and Mort went on, “You want my advice-”</p><p>“Not really, no, but that’s never stopped you before…”</p><p>“Ha. Ha. Very funny, asshole.” They sighed wearily, “Anyway, you want my advice, just go and… Try and have a good time. Ignore everything except for what you’re doing and try to relax.”</p><p>“What I’m doing is why I’m so tense, though…”</p><p>“No.” Mort answered, “Who you are doing it with is what has you tense.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jaune sighed wearily, “I guess so.”</p><p>“Mhm. Also,” Mort snickered, “make sure you wear protection while you do it!”</p><p>“Oh for the love of all that is holy…” jaune sighed, slamming the razor down on the shelf in his shower and sighing. “Can you not be a lech for, I don’t know, a couple hours?”</p><p>“Oh, but I do that every night when the girls come out in their racy pajamas, Jaune.” The Spirit answered with an echoing, breathy laugh. How shorts were racy, Jaune didn’t know, but Mort had always been one for watching the ladies. “You get eight hours of me bein’ nice and quiet, and not saying anything-”</p><p>“Pretty sure you spent ten minutes talking about Nora’s legs the first night we were here…”</p><p>“Starting after that, obviously!” Mort sighed, “So you don’t get more.”</p><p>“Fine, fine, whatever.” He sighed as he stepped out and started drying off. “I guess I’ll do what you say, though, and… Try to relax and see what happens.”</p><p>“Good!” The spirit answered with a bright and rattling laugh, “Just relax, be yourself, and hey, maybe the Schnee really is different from how you assumed she’d be?</p><p>“Yeah, maybe she will be.” He had his doubts, honestly, but he’d said that he would try. And when an Arc gave their word…</p><p>He was dressed inside a couple more minutes, his comfortable Beacon uniform more than enough for something as simple as a game night. Slipping out he was pushed aside as Nora took her turn, rushing in for a hot shower. A look at the clock on the wall told him why and he grimaced.</p><p>“Sorry!” He called through the door to the bathroom, “Didn’t know I was taking so long…”</p><p>“You’re fine!” She called back as the shower cut on, “As long as I have hot water and my favorite soap!”</p><p>“Should be where you left it, Nora, I didn’t touch it!” He called out, just in case someone else had or she’d run out and forgotten about it. When she didn’t shout, or bust down to the door, naked or not, to start demanding to know who had stolen her favorite shampoo, he nodded and turned to the rest of the room with a smile. “Well, I think we’re safe.”</p><p>“As do I.” Pyrrha nodded, sitting on her bed and brushing her hair with a faint, comfortable smile. Gesturing at the little shelf they’d put in beside the door, she asked, “Would you hand me my braid, please? The one with the little gem?” </p><p>It was easy to spot, made of long and thin silk with a little emerald half the size of the tip of his little finger set on a bronze piece that would sit at the bottom of her braid. He picked it up and pitched it to her and she caught it easily, running the brush through her hair a last time and then starting to tie her hair back like she always wore it. She smiled and nodded her thanks and he waved it off, dropping onto the edge of his bed and staring at the door nervously.</p><p>And, through it, at team RWBY’s door.</p><p>“It is as if you seek to set it aflame.” His partner chuckled quietly, “Is something the matter?”</p><p>“Oh, plenty.” Mort chuckled wryly, “But nothing you can help with unless you have a few dozen degrees in psychology.”</p><p>“I’m just thinking.” He said to both of them, “About tonight.”</p><p>“It’s just a night of games, is it not?” He nodded and she huffed, her voice confused as it approached him. Standing at his shoulder, she asked, “Then why are you so tense? All will be well, in the end, I am certain.”</p><p>“This just isn’t my thing, Pyr. That’s all.” He gave her a look but she seemed confused so he explained, “I’m not good with people. I’m better at taking a job to kill something, or maybe transport something, and then doing it. And normally if I don’t like someone, I cut ‘em off. Just leave and refuse to work for, or with, them. But that’s… Not something I can do, here.”</p><p>“She’s a fellow student.” Pyrrha nodded, “You can’t escape her. And besides, she is friends with young Ruby, who you are on good terms with.”</p><p>“Mhm.” He nodded, “So, not as easy here. Even just in that regard.”</p><p>“Being unfamiliar with something is quite uncomfortable, yes.” Pyrrha nodded, prodding his shoulder with the side of her hip to ask him to scoot over. When he did, she sat beside him and smiled warmly. “Everything in Vale is so strange to me. Your food, your customs, your ideas… It is daunting, simply going to eat.”</p><p>“I bet.” He could only imagine how different Mistral was, when you lived there. But Pyrrha had come from the Arena, not just Mistral. And that had to make it worse… He laughed at that and, when Pyrrha gave him a look, explained, “You have to go through so much every day just to get by, and I’m freaking out about game night.”</p><p>“Do not be troubled about your feelings, my friend and oh so fearless leader.” She assured him, wrapping a muscle-bound arm around him in a friendly hug. Letting him go, she said, “We are, each of us, entitled to our own pains and fears and shames. And facing them together is the way of my people. You spoke of them to me, so, do you wish to know what my suggestion is?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“Just take a breath, and play some games.” She answered simply, “Whatever comes will come. But being anxious will do little.”</p><p>“Yeah, someone else said something similar to me…”</p><p>“I swear on my life, if you listen to her, I will never believe it’s because of anything except for her having tits, Arc.” Mort threatened jokingly, asking in the same raspy and sinister, but obviously playing tone, “What, am I not woman enough for you, Jaune? Is my edge too straight? I’ll be a scimitar if you want!”</p><p>Quietly, he flicked the sword’s gem and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Your friend sounds wise. Though…” Her brows furrowed and Pyrrha asked, quietly, “Who is this friend? Someone I have not met?”</p><p>“Uh, well…”</p><p>“Oh I feel so much better!” Nora cheered as she threw the door open and bounced across the room in her skirt and a towel she’d wrapped around her chest. Jaune coughed awkwardly and turned away and Nor chuckled, shuffling through a drawer, “Sorry, Fearless Leader, forgot my shirt is all. Just a sec and the girls’ll be safely out of sight.”</p><p>“You’re fine- It’s fine, Nora.” He sighed, “Next time, maybe just ask for one to be handed in, Nora...”</p><p>“Or don’t!” Mort added excitedly Jaune turned the sword away so none of it could see the half-dressed Valkyrie. “Please don’t!”</p><p>Jaune ignored the sword and, less than twenty minutes later, Nora was ready to go, too. So, with a sigh to gather more courage than he should have, Jaune stood and waved for the grinning girl to lead the way. Which she did with a bright, eager grin, holding up a hand almost like a child leading their class in the halls might. Which was… Not incorrect, for the most part, and made him smile for it.</p><p>Nora really was kind of ridiculous in all of the best ways.</p><p>“Oh. My. Trees.” Nora shouted as soon as they knocked and Ren opened the door for them, and the young Valkyrie got a good look at the dorm. Leaping across the room she waved her hands at the beds and squawked, “You have bunk beds?!”</p><p>“More like death traps, if you ask me, but yes.” Weiss sighed, putting the finishing touches on a line of pizza, soda and all sorts of other trashy snacks for the night that they’d lined up on the two desks pushed against the inside wall. Waving a hand at a large bookshelf that dominated one of the walls, Weiss explained, “Blake had to have a shelf for all her books, and that threw the space off for the whole room.”</p><p>“So you…” He chuckled, “You decided to hang your bed?”</p><p>“That’s mine!” Ruby rushed out as she slipped into the room, carefully balancing a dozen board games. After a few more steps she dumped them on her bed while Weiss sighed sufferingly, she explained, “I called dibs on the top bunk!”</p><p>“Oh, like I called dibs on Pyrrha?”</p><p>“Um, I guess?” The young Lady scratched her head while Jaune found a chair to fall onto and a can of Mountain Lightning to sip from. “But, uh, I don’t think that you can call dibs on a person though?”</p><p>“That is what I said as well!” Pyrrha laughed, sitting on the floor at his side and gesturing with a hand for him to hand her a can, too. When he did, she smiled and said, confusedly, “But Nora threatened to lick me to claim me if ‘the international law of dibs’ didn’t apply?”</p><p>“Oh my Dust, you did not threaten to lick her, Nora.” Yang laughed, snorting when Nora just grinned toothily and grabbed a slice of pizza. Shaking her head, the blonde made space on her bed for her Faunus partner to sit with her and laughed. “Of course you did, you… Absolute perv.”</p><p>“Hey now, I resent that!” Nora pointed a finger, plopping down on the floor beside the door to eat her pizza. Taking a bite, she raised her eyebrows and grunted, “I am a connoisseur of flirtation, not a perv, Xiao Long.”</p><p>“That’s… Fair enough, I guess.”</p><p>“Wait,” Pyrrha blinked, flushing and stammering, “w-was that flirting?”</p><p>“Probably, Nora flirts a lot if someone is even mildly attractive and not a royal ass.” Ren commented smoothly, smirking and adding, “And I’m sorry, Pyrrha, but you are incredibly fun to tease.</p><p>“Mhm!” Nora nodded, pointing a long finger at the man and adding in a grunt, “Plus you’re super pretty!”</p><p>“O-Oh my gods… Y-You… Oh god...” The Mistralian flushed brightly, hiding her face in her hands and whining quietly. She turned to hide her face behind him and Jaune leaned forward to let her, smiling warmly while she whined, “I-I did not have to deal with this in Mistral!”</p><p>“Nope!” Nora grinned absolutely viciously, too, taking way too much fun from this, “You just had to kill monsters.”</p><p>“I think that I prefer that!”</p><p>“I think you’ll live with getting teased.” Jaune laughed, taking a plate of pizza and chicken wings that was offered to him and grunting a quiet, “Thanks, Weiss.”</p><p>“Not a problem, Jaune.” The Schnee smiled warmly, leaning around him to ask, “Pyrrha, would you like a plate, too, or are you content to hide behind your team leader like there’s a monster in the room?”</p><p>“There is a monster!” She protested quietly, face still beet red even if she was smiling widely, now. She pointed a finger across the room at the ‘offending’ woman and added, “There’s a rabid Nora right there!”</p><p>“Hey, I’m not rabid yet.” She defended herself, winking saucily, “Just wait until we all go swimming one of these days. Then you can call me rabid, P-Money.”</p><p>“I’ve never been more afraid of water than I am right now, in this moment…”</p><p>“I thought cats hated water…?”</p><p>“Was that a joke or accidental racism, Weiss?” Blake countered with a smirk, watching the red creep across Weiss’ face like she was feverish. Laughing, the Faunus shook her head and turned, picking up a little cowbell of all things and ringing it later. “Bad, Weiss! It’s not been ten minutes and I had to ring the racism bell!”</p><p>“I’m sorry my father taught me weird things!” She defended, slapping some sardine laden pizza on a plate and offering it to her. “Your fish, my lady. And that is a joke, before you ring the damn-”</p><p>Yang cut the Schnee off with a hug, hoisting the squawking women up and squeezing her tightly. “Oh, you’re trying so hard Weissy! And it’s so cute!”</p><p>“I am not cute, Yang, and I will stab you!” The Schnee threatened, pounding ineffectual fists against the brawler’s side. After a moment of being forcibly snuggled and ignored, the Schnee gave up, flopping against the blonde’s shoulder and calling, “Ruby! Your partner needs help!”</p><p>“My what?”</p><p>“Y-Your… Bestie b-better than the restie needs help.”</p><p>“Oki dokey!” The girl bounced around, thumping one of her sister’s thick biceps and raising her eyebrows. “Yang, drop it!”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Drop it, girl.” She scolded, “Drop it!”</p><p>After a second, and a long roll of her eyes, Yang dropped the Schnee on the bed beside Blake and laughed, “Hey, I just wanted a hug!”</p><p>“And I wanted freedom!” Blake opened her mouth and Weiss turned on her, leaning against her and hissing in her face, “Make the joke and all the sardines go in the bin and I light them on fire, Blake.”</p><p>“I have nothing to add.” The Faunus wisely nodded, taking a bite of her pizza and smiling pleasantly. Before she took another bite, she asked, “Ruby, what game are we playing first?”</p><p>“Well, since we’re all good friends, I chose Monopoly!” Ruby crowed, setting the box on the floor and waving for Yang to set the black table they’d brought up while everyone groaned. “I know what you’re all thinking, but my dad always said ‘if you can play Monopoly together nothing will come between you’.”</p><p>“Probably because Monopoly is borne of the Grimm.” Blake murmured, shaking her head and sighing, “Well, as long as I get second pick. And get to play as the race car.”</p><p>As the room descended into the predictable fight over the racecar, and Jaune grabbed the thimble, he couldn’t help but smile. He’d been worried but everything seemed fine. At least for now. Who knew how long it would actually last, though...</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Gogo Bananas :</p><p>Ah, Mistral prefers indentured persons.</p><p>Hirshja :</p><p>Trench warfare was a part of what brought about the ‘collapse’ of nobility, even if nobility didn’t entirely collapse - hi, Queen of England - but not all of it. According to some historians, it wasn’t even the largest part. The nobility had been sending the masses to die en mass for centuries, after all. Some interpretations, and I agree with this, say that the reasons for the war were what caused it in so many countries, though I won’t get super duper detailed into it here.</p><p>Whereas in the Color War, it was just Mantle declaring war on culture. Mistral, later, decided to be opportunistic, sure, but beyond that it wasn’t really a war about wealth and status. This is what I would argue is the difference in the two conflicts.</p><p>Also, and I will do this later, I haven’t actually shown or stated how the nation’s governments work yet. For now, all I will state is that it isn’t ‘nobility rule, peasants drool, all hail the King’ kind of law. You’ll see later, though.</p><p>Glad you enjoyed regardless!</p><p>Zenith Tempest :</p><p>Here, Cardin is being a dick because of a familial rivalry. The Arcs and Winchesters hate each other for reasons barely covered thus far.</p><p>As for Weiss and Jaune… Well, they don’t hate each other. That’s been the point, so far, in the story. Arcs hate the Schnees for what they have done. But Weiss, as argued thus far, hasn’t actually done any of that. And both in-canon and here, when shown evidence and reason, she eventually comes around on an issue.</p><p>THAT is what she is doing here. Trying to set aside family, which is also in line with why in-canon she went to Beacon at all, to be her own person.</p><p>I hope that explanation helps!</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. History's Weight - III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Two things surprised Jaune as the night passed he and his friends, new and old alike, by. The first was two-fold, in that vegetarian pizza courtesy of the only other man in the room, was… Actually fairly good, even if he wasn’t in love with the peppers he used to replace the spice of the pepperonis. The other half of that was the sheer amount of the pizza that the lithe man could put away all on his own. Which was an entire pizza, minus the single slice he offered his leader to sample. </p><p>And it was one of the small slices, too…</p><p>The other thing he learned was even more surprising, though. And also came in two parts. The first was that Nora had the luck of the Dark Brother on her side, and a shockingly keen mind for strategy besides. But even more hilarious, forcing a smile to his face even as the small woman glared at him, was Weiss’ performance…</p><p>“Go to jail?!” She hissed as she pulled the card off the little pile and blinked distraughtly. “B-But I just got out of that section of the board!”</p><p>“Yep.” Nora smiled, playing with one of the hotels she’d built on every single property along that edge idly. Shooting the girl a haughty look, the Valkyrie added, “And hey, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll roll out next turn.”</p><p>“And have to go down your highway of crippling debt!” She whined, hiding her face in her hands while Ruby moved her piece to Jail. “I should never have traded you those two for Boardwalk…”</p><p>“Nope, but you did~!”</p><p>“They have the highest rent!”</p><p>“It’s a noob trap, Weiss-y.” Yang nodded, out of the game since half an hour past and reading something on her Scroll while she lounged on one of the beds.</p><p>“And you walked right into it.” Blake smiled, sitting beside her partner’s head and reading whatever the blonde was. When she hummed, the blonde scrolled and the Faunus sighed. “No, you twits, Menagerie is not autocratic…”</p><p>“Isn’t it, though?” Weiss grumbled quietly, pouting while Nora rolled. They were the only two left in the game, now, and Nora was massively in the lead. But she was stubborn and wouldn’t relent, simply pouting while everyone ate and chatted amongst themselves. “The title is more or less hereditary, and the Chieftain sets the policy. No?”</p><p>“Well, yes…” Blake admitted with a sigh, but also with a small smile, as if she were happy and exasperated at the same time. “But it’s a touch more complicated than that. The Chieftain sets the national goals, and overarching policies, yes. But they are bound by a constitution, and if enough of the council of Menagerie challenge a decision, it can be struck down.”</p><p>“Then it’s authoritarian.” Weiss affirmed, rolling her dice and frowning at the five and four that came up, leaving her imprisoned. While Nora took her turn, landing on one of Weiss’ properties as she passed Go! and paying the rent out of that, Weiss went on. “It’s simply Authoritarian, but with a few loose controls in place so it doesn’t go too far. A dictatorship with just a dash of democracy, for flavor.”</p><p>“Better than corporatism.”</p><p>“A bullet from a blue gun is the same as a bullet from a purple one, Blake.” She sighed, “They both shoot the same. And whoever’s shooting probably shoots straighter than you do, too.”</p><p>“Someone’s catty.” Ren chuckled, “Sore loser?”</p><p>“The only catty one here is Blake.” Weiss murmured before she blinked and her eyes widened, “No, wait, that was an acci-”</p><p>“Racist bell!” Ruby cheered, flashing behind the Schnee and ringing the cowbell loudly over her head while petals trailed around them both. Weiss cringed and Ruby bent over to give her a hug, booping her on the nose while she flushed, “Only two today so far, though. You’re doing so well!”</p><p>“I’ll melt that damn bell one of these days, so help me…” She murmured, rolling a double, finally, and bouncing out of Jail… And right onto Nora’s hotels. Sighing, the Schnee flopped back on the floor and groaned, “I give up!”</p><p>“Yay!” Nora cheered, grabbing Weiss’ money and bouncing to her feet, throwing it up in the air and cheering, “I’m makin’ it raaaain!”</p><p>“That’s not real money…” Weiss growled, flushing and watching the Valkyrie bounce around the room regardless. “And must you flounce around like that? It’s… Indecent.”</p><p>“I don’t what I want~” Nora laughed, “And don’t be mad just because you like it~!”</p><p>“I-I don’t like it!” The Schnee almost shrieked, rocketing to her feet and closing on the Valkyrie, one long finger pointed in the grinning woman’s face. “How could I possibly like someone flouncing around like no one can see her… A-Assets moving! It’s indecent!”</p><p>“Weiss has a cruuuuuush~” Ruby taunted, bouncing along behind Nora’s bag to grab a can of Grape while she shrieked and went after her.</p><p>“I can’t believe Weiss actually lost Capitalism Simulator.” Yang snickered as she rolled off the bed and started cleaning up the game, absently watching the Schnee and her partner tumble to the floor in a flailing mess of limbs, hair and skirts. Smirking knowingly, she called out at the flailing mess, “Her neck is ticklish, Weiss-y!”</p><p>“Yang, don’t help heeeeaaaaagh!” The wrestling match ended quickly once Weiss’ fingers got to work, setting the younger woman flailing and writhing to try and escape from her partner’s dancing fingers. </p><p>“Okay, kids, that’s enough.” Yang called after a couple minutes. With a sigh, Weiss rolled off her partner, laying on the floor in front of the door and heaving for breath beside her. Rolling her eyes, Yang said, “Two minutes to breathe, then Weiss, you get to run Monopoly back to the social room.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“You lost fair and square!” Nora pointed out with a smile that turned wicked as the Schnee looked to her. Winking, she added, “Now you have to take your punishment~!”</p><p>“I-I-I’ll take it now!” Weiss stammered, face as red as Ruby’s cloak as she shot up, snatched the box away, and vanished through the door.</p><p>“So….” Blake started, smiling and folding her arms under her bust. “What level of gay panic do you think that was?”</p><p>“Four.”</p><p>“Seven.”</p><p>“Eight.”</p><p>“What’s gay panic?”</p><p>“Oh, you sweet, adorable, innocent little murder hobo.” Nora sighed, flopping onto the floor on Pyrrha’s other side and using Jaune as a pseudo-wall to trap her. Grinning, she wiggled her eyebrows and said, “Don’t you worry, I’ll teach you plenty!”</p><p>“U-U-U-Um!”</p><p>“Jaune!” Mort hissed warningly when he opened his mouth to speak, “You intervene and I will never forgive you!”</p><p>“Okay, okay!” Jaune laughed as the Mistralian practically crawled over him to escape from the laughing Valkyrie. Pushing Pyrrha back down in her spot with one hand, he pointed with the other and said, “Down, Nora, before you break Pyrrha.”</p><p>“But that’s the point-”</p><p>“Ren, please leash your pet.” Jaune sighed, before he realized what he said and snapped out a quick, “Leader’s orders, no more teasing Weiss or Pyrrha!”</p><p>“Oh thank the gods…”</p><p>“But Jaaaaaaune!”</p><p>“All of my hate…”</p><p>“At least for the night.” He added, smiling when Pyrrha whined pitifully and looked to the sky as if searching for rescue from the gods themselves. None came, of course, and Jaune smiled, “Hey, I bought you the night, didn’t I?”</p><p>“I suppose I should be grateful for that…” Pyrrha sighed as he got up and walked over to the snacks again, searching for a piece of pepperoni and sighing when he failed.</p><p>“Oh, grab me a slice too, Fearless Leader?” He waved a hand over his shoulder to show he’d heard her and she moved on, talking to Pyrrha again. “And I’m just poking at you, P-Money, no worries! If you didn’t turn as red as your hair and get all shy whenever I did it, it’d be less fun, ya know.” </p><p>“Pst.” Mort hissed, “Take notes, Jaune. Just ignore ‘em and they go away! Ruins their fun.”</p><p>Sometimes, he really wished he’d gotten a normal sword...</p><p>“And how am I actually meant to help that, exactly?!” The champion arena fighter squeaked in a way that sounded very much like not a champion arena fighter. The whole of the room at large laughed at that and Jaune saw her hide her face in her hands, whining loudly, “Why am I the target every time…?”</p><p>“You aren’t.” Jaune said as he returned to his seat and let Nora raid a couple slices from his plate. “Weiss was the target, what, ten minutes ago?”</p><p>“Mhm!” Nora nodded excitedly, forcing down the bite she’d already ripped out of her pizza and adding, “And for the same reason too! You’re both just so frickin’ adorable when you get all flustered and shy!” </p><p>“...I have decided I am going to challenge you in Goodwitch’s next combat class.” Pyrrha decided firmly with a confident smile. “Perhaps a bout will teach you not to tease me so much. Hmm?”</p><p>“Oh, you wanna get all hot and sweaty and wrestle with me in front of eeeeeveryone?” Nora chittered, watching the Mistralian stammer out a nervous denial and grinning widely, “Little tip? Don’t try and turn the teasin’ around on me. You’ll have to come down to my level, and I’ll beat you with experience.”</p><p>“Nora, that saying is about arguing with idiots…”</p><p>“And pervs!” She nodded, smiling when Jaune shot her a confused look. Sitting on Pyrrha’s other side, she inspected her pizza idly and rambled, “What? I know what I’m about. I mean, I’m not that bad, like, no creeping on anyone or anything, but… Eh.”</p><p>“Oh my god, she’s so conscientious, too…” Mort sighed, “Jaune, I might leave you for her. No hard feelings?” </p><p>“It’s just fun and games.” Jaune added quietly, doing his level best not to glare at the sword leaning against the wall beside him. “She’s not bothering you, though, is she?”</p><p>“Yeah, am I?” The woman asked seriously, “Cuz I can back off, if ya say to. No hard feelings for it either.”</p><p>“What?” She blinked, “Um, no, it’s just…”</p><p>“You’re not very well socialized to deal with this kind of stuff.” Jaune pitched and the woman nodded happily for the explanation. Bringing his knee up to his chest, he rested an elbow on it and sighed, “Yeah, I’m kinda the same. Most of the time, last couple years, I haven’t really had to deal with people a lot.”</p><p>“You were a frontiersman, right?” Yang asked suddenly, sitting up and meeting his gaze flatly. When he nodded, she asked, “What’s that… Like.”</p><p>“Well…”</p><p>“And I don’t mean the watered down version, either, where you talk about fighting all the big monsters and roasting rabbit while you watch the stars.” Yang rushed to clarify, rolling her eyes and smiling genuinely. “I think everyone here wants to know the detes, too, Jaune. You’re the only one that’s been out there, doing what we wanna do, so… Hit us with some facts.”</p><p>“If you’re all sure…”</p><p>“We are.” Ruby nodded, looking to Blake and getting another nod. “We wanna know what it’s really like out there.”</p><p>“Maybe you all should wait for the Schnee, then?” Mort whispered in his ear, “She’d probably enjoy learning about this as well.”</p><p>No sooner had he translated the sword’s words over did the door open, the young heiress stumbling in with a couple pizzas and another game balanced in her arms. She glanced at the far more serious faces in the room for a second, and then sighed and ambled in. Blinking owlishly, she turned, kicked the door shut, and carried everything over to start setting it up.</p><p>“So,” she started while everyone was staring at her, “does anyone want to tell me why it seems like the mood has died?”</p><p>“Blake lost one of her nine lives.” Yang quipped, and then blinked as Ruby vanished in a spray of roses. Turning, she shouted, “Don’t you frickin’-”</p><p>“Racist bell!” Ruby cheered, ringing it loudly in the air and grinning eagerly, “That’s one point for you, Yang!”</p><p>“Oh my god, someone else has points?!” Weiss smiled, “It’s not just me!”</p><p>“Relax, Weiss-y.” Ruby smiled, bouncing over to put the bell back on a shelf and beaming a smile at the Schnee. “Yang has one, and you have forty-seven. I’m sure eventually she’ll catch up to you.”</p><p>“If we ever find your mute button that is.” Blake smiled, flicking along her Scroll while she read. “I’m certain you have one somewhere.”</p><p>“I volunteer to find it!” Nora smiled, raising her hand eagerly like a kid in class. “Might take a while, but I’m sure it’ll be time spent really well!”</p><p>“Oh my Stars, you lech…”</p><p>“I asked Jaune what it’s like being out there, doing what we want to do when we get outta here.” Yang finally cut in, answering Qeiss’ question finally and showing just how interested she really was in his answer. Smiling, she gave Weiss a playful look and added, “And Lover Boy’s first thought was apparently that you would miss out.”</p><p>“Oi!” Mort snapped, “Stealing my thunder?!”</p><p>“It was just a thought that crossed my mind.” He sighed, shrugging off Yang’s smirk, Mort’s hiss of agitation, and Weiss’ flushed face all in one go. “I just figured it was a good idea. I don’t like explaining the same thing over and over again, ya know?”</p><p>“Fair enough, neither do I.” Weiss nodded, sitting back down at the little table and setting, of all things, Chutes and Ladders down. When everyone shuffled over and gave her a look, she asked, “What? I happen to like this game, thank you very much. I haven’t played it since I was a child, but...”</p><p>“Fond memories?”</p><p>“Yeah, Blake.” Weiss nodded, “Fond memories. Also, I bought extra pizzas. So…”</p><p>“Fair enough.” Jaune laughed, leaning back against the wall and raising his hand, “Too many of us to play at once, so I’ll sit out and talk.”</p><p>“I’ll sit out as well.” Pyrrha added, “I’m more one to watch than to play, I’m afraid. At least until I know how to play well enough to, well, stand a chance.”</p><p>“Sore loser?”</p><p>“No, Nora, I’m just…” The woman paused, searching for a word, and finally settled on, “Competitive. It comes with the territory of my upbringing, I’m afraid. I can stand to lose, but I prefer to lose for failing than for ignorance.”</p><p>“I’m out, too.” Blake said, lounging out across the bed when Yang hopped off to play the game. Raising her Scroll, she explained, “Reading.”</p><p>“Cleaning.” Ren said when his turn came around and he stood, marching over to do damage control on the snack line. </p><p>“Okay, so we’re down to a good number for this then.” Yang nodded, watching Weiss set up the board and waving a hand at Jaune. “So, spill the beans. What’s it like out there, wanderin’ around and beating shit up for money?”</p><p>“You make me sound like a mercenary…”</p><p>“Aren’t Hunters kind of like mercenaries?” Weiss asked quietly, before she could catch herself or anyone could say anything. Flushing suddenly and raising her hands to wave the insult she’d suggested off, she rushed to say, “I-I mean in the sense of taking money to fight or protect as part of a contract. That they fight Grimm is incidental to them taking pay to do it, after all.”</p><p>“So by definition, Hunters would be at least a kind of mercenary. Like a shark is a kind of fish, regardless of its differences to others.” Blake murmured, sitting up pursing her lips as she considered it. “I mean… Father has warriors on retainer just to fight the Grimm. What, then, would separate them from Hunters?”</p><p>“Training.” Jaune offered simply, “I didn’t have a degree. But they hired me anyways. Never for the same amount of Lien, of course, but… Well, they either didn’t have a Hunter to hand or couldn’t afford one.”</p><p>“So they paid you.” Blake said, “Like… A mercenary.”</p><p>“They have a point, Jaune.” Mort whispered, deathly serious all of a sudden now that the time called for it. “You really were basically a mercenary with a pretty specific type of target. At least, you know… Most of the time.”</p><p>“I… Suppose so.” He sighed, pursing his lips and sighing. “I just don’t like the image the word conjures up, I guess.”</p><p>“What image?” Nora asked quietly, just as serious as Mort and just as sudden about it. Two peas in a pod, those two were At least, aside from the whole ‘magical sword with a soul trapped in it’ aspect.</p><p>“I dunno, really.” He shrugged, scratching at his chin and waving his hand at the air unsurely. “Some smiling jackal of a man, walking out over a handful of Lien? Someone that would refuse a job because the offer wasn’t good, no matter what happens to people?”</p><p>“Did you ever do that?” Nora asked quietly, “Leave people behind that way?”</p><p>“Of course not!” He almost snapped, drawing a raised eyebrow from the sharp ginger. Taking a deep breath, he explained, “If someone would die, I’d deal with the Grimm either way, if I thought I could. The price never mattered, there. Not to me at least.”</p><p>“Well,” Mort sighed, “I feel attacked.”</p><p>“Then that oughta put a knife in what you imagine when you hear the word.” Yang said simply with a wide, beaming smile. Crossing her arms under her chest, she shrugged, “If you’re a merc, and you are in the same way we’re all animals-”</p><p>“No, that’s a technical term.” Blake rushed to say, “Don’t ring the bell.”</p><p>“Ah.” The Rose nodded, disappointed, as she set the bell aside. “Oki dokey, then.”</p><p>“Anyway, since you’re a kind o’ merc, then you know of one that doesn’t do that already.” Yang shrugged, “Anyway, that ain’t exactly what I asked about, Jaune. I wanna know what it’s like. What I’m gonna be doing out there.”</p><p>“We.” Ren pointed out quietly, “What  we all will be doing out there.”</p><p>“Well…” They wanted his honesty, so he supposed he didn’t have a choice. Gesturing for Ren to pitch him a can of soda and catching it when the young man did, Jaune sighed. “It’s a lot of walking, for one, with nothing going on. Or riding, I guess, if you have a horse or a car or something. Or the Lien to hire a way.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t be a problem for us.” Ruby smiled, elbowing her partner playfully, “Eh, bestie better than the restie?”</p><p>“Am I just a bank now…?”</p><p>“No, you’re a partner with very deep pockets.” Ruby smiled, “Anyway, Jaune. You were saying?”</p><p>“Yeah, anyway, once you get to a town they… Well, some of ‘em have a board of jobs they need doing. Pest control, repair, so on, normal stuff. Those will have a section for people like me. Well, us, I guess.” He shrugged, because that bit really didn’t matter. “At those ones, you grab a job you like and find the person who put it up. Talk out your pay, unless a price is listed and you’re fine with it, and then off you go to do it.”</p><p>“Sounds normal enough…”</p><p>“It is.” He nodded, “Issue is whether or not the description of the job is actually accurate to the job.”</p><p>“Do people lie on ‘em?” Yang asked, “That can’t be legal…”</p><p>“It’s not, and they don’t.” Jaune answered, “But when that was posted and when you find it might not be near to the same day. And things change. Or maybe they just didn’t know what was actually going on when they hired you in the first place. Either way, if you take a job and it goes wild, they probably won’t pay extra.”</p><p>“That’s rude…”</p><p>“Maybe.” Jaune shrugged, “Some of ‘em don’t because they can’t, though. And it’s hard to know can’t from won’t without offending someone. And getting a bad reputation, too, which can make things so much worse.”</p><p>“Sounds about right for business ventures.” Weiss muttered, hitting the spinning and smiling as it spun. Childish game it might have been, but hey, Weiss was enjoying it at least. Even if it was probably just for nostalgia.  “Reputation is king in the corporate world. If you become known for changing the deal after all is said and done, even if you believe you’re right to do it, people will talk.”</p><p>“And not charitably, either.” Blake added, “Keep going, though. What’s it like aside from that?”</p><p>“I dunno…” He sighed, thinking for a while and then saying, “Dirty, for one.”</p><p>“Dirty…?” </p><p>“Yeah, Weiss. Dirty.” He chuckled at her confused, off-put face and explained quietly. “You spend most nights out there, sleeping in the woods. Maybe you can haul tents, or bedrolls, maybe not. Maybe you lost them. It doesn’t matter, you’re still out there, in the sticks. Days between a bath in anything but a river, days of hard rations and whatever you can scrounge… It’s hard.”</p><p>“Really are selling this job here, Arc.” Yang snarked, “Like, I almost wanna dig for the receipt, you know?”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s bad.” He laughed, “But… It’s nice, too.”</p><p>“It is?” Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow, “You make it sound like a fresh, new kind of hell I didn’t even know existed.”</p><p>“Thinking of backing out, Schnee?”</p><p>“Not on your life, Belladonna.” She answered hotly, cocking her head to the side and smirking thinly. “Just… Rethinking my lack of a personal tent. And drones.”</p><p>“It sounds bad, but there’s... Something about it that makes me miss it.” He sighed, staring up at the ceiling in thought. “I don’t know what. I was always cold, unless I got a fire together. Triomphe couldn’t carry a tent, between me and my armor I was already being a dick to the poor thing, so I slept outside. Still, I miss falling asleep under the stars with a stomach-full of whatever I could catch or carry… It’s oddly satisfying, living that way.”</p><p>“It… Actually sounds it.” Yang nodded and clapped her hands, “Okay, curiosity’s good for now. Time to stomp Weiss again before bed!”</p><p>“Oi!” The Schnee squawked, “You were first out in Monopoly!”</p><p>Smiling, Jaune let his head lean back to watch the girls play while Pyrrha watched him. After a moment, she bumped her arm into his and, smiling still, he returned it. Tonight had gone pretty well, all things considered. And he hoped it was a sign of things to come.</p><p>“Hey.” Mort whispered, “See if you can look down her blouse!”</p><p>The gods owed him a good omen… Or twelve.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>It was not a sign of things to come. XD</p><p>Hope you all enjoyed a lil’ bit o’ word-building!</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Smokey panda :</p><p>Kinda took two! Though this one had a solid hunk of word-building, background talking and characterizing.</p><p>Codfix1998 :</p><p>Got it in one, lol.</p><p>Sebine (Chapter 10) :</p><p>The Deathstalker is an ambusher, that was clever enough to use downed Initiates as bait to do an ambush. I leave to the reader’s imagination what could have happened to their escort, based on this info.</p><p>Hirshja :</p><p>It was a hundred words short, but because I didn’t have anything to fill it, short of putting all this into it. Which, uh… No. Regardless, I'll state clearly that everything is fine, sans what happened a few months ago and the natural issues from that.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. History's Weight - IV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Good day, students. Today, we will be diverting from the routine you have been growing used to over the last few weeks.” The Deputy Headmistress said once they had all filed in to Monday’s combat course. She paced slowly around the arena floor she so often used as a rather large lecture podium and flicked her gaze from student to student while their idle chatter died down. “I have spent the last few weeks watching you in one on one spars, appraising your skill sets and fighting styles.”</p><p>“I have spent this time coaching you on your weaknesses and areas in need of improvement. And, I am pleased to say, you have made remarkable improvements across the board.” The woman went on, allowing herself a small smile before moving on. “Starting this week, you will not be sparring solely with each other. Courtesy of our own Professor Peter Port, and a cadre of Third Years, you will be facing a number of lesser Grimm every Monday and Friday.”</p><p>“Well that’s interesting…” Mort murmured hauntingly, “I suppose their capture of the initiation’s Grimm isn’t a one-off, then.”</p><p>“They’re going to pit us against the Grimm?” Pyrrha murmured, grimacing thinly beside him. He looked down and saw her hand gripping the edge of the seat so hard her knuckles were turning white, and frowned. </p><p>“Pyr?” He asked, laying a hand on hers and drawing her gaze to him. She flinched and rounded on him, eyes hard, but he ignored it and asked through a smile. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“I’m well, just… Reminded of home in a not so fine way.” She answered, smiling thinly and shrugging. “You don’t need to worry, Jaune.”</p><p>“I can’t help it.” Jaune smiled in answer. “It’s my job to worry about my team after all.”</p><p>“Yes, well, I suppose it is. I will just have to survive somehow, then.” The woman smiled and turned back to listen to the Headmistress’ speech. She was more relaxed, though, and he felt her fingers uncurl under his hand.</p><p>She didn’t move hers, though, and something told Jaune not to either.</p><p>“Starting today, you will be pitted against Grimm suited to exploit your weaknesses.” The Headmistress was saying, “Those of you who are fast, but less able to withstand sustained combat, will be pitted against hardened foes. While the slower and more durable among you will face enemies that are able to outpace you. All in a controlled environment where you can learn, safely, to handle such issues.”</p><p>“Now then,” she smiled, standing in the center of the arena, “who would like to go first?”</p><p>Hands around the room snapped up, his own among them, and less than a second passed before the Headmistress pointed and called out, “Mister Arc, you have already spent some years on the frontier, fighting Grimm like this. Have you not?”</p><p>“Yes, Lady.” He called back respectfully, “And worse, once or twice, too.”</p><p>“Very good.” She nodded, turning to stalk towards one of the exit doors and speaking over the speaker system as she went. “Then you will be our first Grimm fighter of the year. Whenever you’re ready, please, step into the ring.”</p><p>It was a very real struggle not to point out that they’d all fought Grimm in Initiation, but… Well, she was terrifying, it was obvious what she meant, and both of those made it very easy to control the urge to sass. No matter what Mort had to say about it…</p><p>“As I said, I have been observing you ahead of this part of your training here at Beacon, Lord Arc.” The Headmistress said once he was in the arena’s center, his hand resting on the old, weathered pommel of his sword. Then, part and parcel of the rules of his rank, she bowed her head and said, “If you will permit my criticism…”</p><p>“I will.” He answered loudly, adding under his breath, “Or why would I be here?”</p><p>“Thank you, My Lord.” She straightened and he could swear he saw a small smile as she went on, “You are fast and agile, and sturdy enough to hold your own in most bouts even when you can’t properly dodge your enemy’s attacks. This, even though you only wear at best medium armor. Which tells me that it isn’t a question of actual ability but rather a chosen form of combat.”</p><p>“That almost sounded like a compliment…”</p><p>“However, you’re a bit too slow to properly dodge, as things stand, relying on much higher than average Aura reserves and armor to make up the difference.” She went on, silencing Mort’s hopes as easily as a Grimm visiting a harvest festival. “So, what could be a good challenge to you, then?”</p><p>He couldn’t think of anything off the top of his head,  at least not that  they would risk catching, but then the question was obviously rhetorical. </p><p>A point that was proven when the other door into the arena, normally used to deploy training drones, began to grind open. The dark beyond the large gate was foreboding, to be sure, but he wasn’t left staring at it for long before a chittering sound reached him. Red eyes blinked to life and a long, pointed, bony leg slipped from the shadows, joined quickly by another and then a pair of massive claws. Its wide face came next, stalk-eyes flicking right and left before centering on him while its mandibles flicked.</p><p>“A Hermit Prince.” Goodwitch explained for those in the crowd that might not recognize the roughly horse sized crab. A spear was stuck into the top of its shell, over the larger of its two claws, but other than that it seemed more or less healthy. “Well armored, and faster than you think, it should pose more than an acceptable threat to you. Good luck, Lord, and I am here if you need me to intervene.”</p><p>“So in case you’re about to die, then.” Mort hissed angrily, “Wonderful!”</p><p>“Hey, normally I’d just die if I was outmatched.” He murmured, drawing the sword with both hands and turning his left side to it, the blade held back and down so the tip nearly touched the floor.</p><p>“Eh, fair.”</p><p>The Grimm, surprisingly enough, didn’t come straight for him. Instead it scuttled out of the shadow of the gate slowly, the mandibles of its jaw flicking curiously while its stalky eyes twisted and turned to take in the room. Then white, black veined the monster rocketed to the side suddenly. It scuttled part of the way around the arena until it found a spot it liked and slammed into the wall, using its legs to rip into the concrete of the arena wall and trying to pull itself out of the pit and into the watching crowd.</p><p>It made it, too, snarling as its pointed legs slammed into the hardlight shield that enclosed the arena. It stabbed its legs into the shields a few times while the class around it watched, some standing to move just in case it broke through. It pounded into the shields again and again, and even brought its massive claw to bear against it. The force of the blow bouncing off made it lose its purchase in the wall, though, and the Hermit screamed as it fell, slamming down into the concrete hard enough to crack it.</p><p>It skittered back, one stalk eye turning its red tip to him warily when he shifted to face it more directly while the other looked at the flickering shield.</p><p>“Not the brightest, is it?” As if prompted by Mort’s words, the giant crab turned to face him head on and raised its claws, slamming them into the ground in a great display of pure, bestial intimidation. Mort sighed, “Don’t say it, Arc…”</p><p>“Had to say it.”</p><p>“I despise you…”</p><p>When the Grimm finally moved towards him, it moved low and it moved fast. Much faster than it had any right to, crossing the half of the arena between them in little more than a few seconds. He ducked under a claw as it came down for him on pure instinct, right into the path of a leg that kicked him in the stomach and tossed him back more than a foot. He landed and stumbled, fighting to recover his stance while the Grimm closed in. Its claw came up again and Jaune knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge, but he felt Mort vibrating in his hand and brought it in front of him in a wide arc.</p><p>As the Hermit closed with him, the trap detonated in a wall of light and heat that made them both hiss in pain. One of them had Aura, though, and Jaune brought his sword up in both hands and stepped through the fire, bringing it down on the monster’s face. It hissed and chittered, and Jaune had to leap back to dodge a leg that snapped out to kick him. But a broken piece of mandible came with, and he counted that, at least, as a win.</p><p>“Flame Sword.” He murmured, more than aware that probably wasn’t the spell name. Mort had told him before that it was less a ‘fire sword’ and more an ‘enchantment that made the sword light on fire’.</p><p>But Jaune didn’t see a difference that mattered, there.</p><p>And neither did the Hermit Prince.</p><p>It chittered and backed away as white-hot fire bloomed along Mort Noire’s weathered length, steam rising off its burnt and blackened underbelly as it went. It limped on one leg and Jaune smiled for it. It was slower…</p><p>Quietly, he brought the blade down, tip pointed towards the monster and level with his shoulders, with one hand on the guard to add some push to his thrust. Then he stepped forward and the Grimm stepped to the side, trying to dodge what looked very obviously like an attack aimed for its already wounded mouth.</p><p>Jaune smiled as his foot came down and he pivoted, bringing the sword down to nearly touch the ground and then snapping it back up.</p><p>Bone and flesh sizzled and popped as Mort Noire did its work, and as the Grimm retreated, its arm collapsed and vanished in a fine black mist. But he didn’t let up, lunging for the Grimm’s exposed side with a thrust that would fry its intestines-</p><p>He saw stars as it spun like lighting and brought its other claw around to slam into his head. He hit the ground and rolled like a limp mass of man and metal, ending on his side with his back to the monster. Coughing, he forced himself up and blinked, eyes wide.</p><p>He’d lost his sword…</p><p>He heard a number of massive legs on concrete and turned to see the Prince rushing towards him, intent to finish the job. Mort was between them, laid on the concrete of the arena and bare of its magical fire. It was only a couple feet away, but the monster was so fast. Still, he leapt. His fingers wrapped around the pommel and he grit his teeth, trying to bring the weapon up as the Grimm’s claw came down. But he was too slow, and his shoulder flared painfully for his effort, and nearly seized entirely.</p><p>Then, as if possessed, he felt his armor shift, adding force to his strike and directing it up, to cleave between the monster’s pincers. It screeched as its claw came apart, but Jaune didn’t relent, planting a foot and carving across its face so deeply it lost an eye stalk. Then he brought it back and down and thrust up as the monster bellowed, burying the length of the weapon in its head through its jaws.</p><p>Mort didn’t need to be told this time, and flames burst to life inside the monster, which spasmed and seized as it was flash fried. After a second, it went still and fell, dissolving around the sword and leaving him to sink to an exhausted knee.</p><p>“A fine kill!” The Headmistress called out over the intercom, “Unfortunately, a close one. Your Aura is in the red, Lord Arc, and had you not recovered so splendidly I was going to intervene on your behalf.”</p><p>“I apologise, Lady.” He groaned, standing and forcing his gaze up to the Aura reader. The red of his Aura was so thin even Weiss could have blocked it out, if she stood in front of it…</p><p>“Do not apologize to me, you did more than well.” The Headmistress answered, “However, I think you know where you failed.”</p><p>“I was too aggressive?”</p><p>“Quite right, My Lord Arc, and while the maneuver did what you needed it to, you expended a lot of your Aura to withstand your own attack. Which is not exactly a tactical decision, I’m sure you understand.” She smiled and he frowned. It was an old, familiar critique. He tended to rush into things and that usually ended poorly for him, like it almost had courtesy of the crab. “Remember, Lords, Ladies, and students all, that keeping your cool and moving with purpose and tactical understanding is chief among your methods to stay alive. Still, you managed to recover, and that is more than enough to earn a passing grade for the day.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, turning and flicking a gaze to his silent partner. “I managed. Somehow.”</p><p>She at least had the good manners to grimace and look at the floor. </p><p>Nora, though, leaned in front of her and glared, pointing two fingers at her eyes and then back at him. Ren saw her do it and sighed visibly, tapping her back and pointing at her seat patiently until she took it. Still, she met his eyes, sliding a hand over her throat and raising her eyebrows in an obvious challenge. </p><p>Jaune only rolled his eyes for it, though, turning back as the Headmistress went on, “You are dismissed, Lord Arc. Please stow your equipment and have yourself looked over for injuries. You took a few nasty blows in that bout.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>His team was waiting for him by the time medical cleared him about an hour later, most of his time spent waiting while the medical staff dealt with a young third year’s fractured eye socket. He wasn’t really sure what had happened, but her injury looked painful, so she had his sympathies. Regardless, he was cleared shortly after and stepped out of the medical ward, and nearly into Pyrrha who was pacing anxiously by the door.</p><p>“Jaune!” The Mistralian smiled, turning to him and reaching out to press a fist to his chest in what he supposed was some kind of Mistralian greeting he didn’t know about. She let the arm drop after a second and asked, “Are you alright, though?”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“You blew up?” Nora tried from behind Pyrrha, her arms folded while Ren watched her. “I’m an explosives expert, I know blowin’ up isn’t exactly fun. Or, well, for you normies at least.”</p><p>“What she means to say,” Ren offered quietly, “is that you took that explosion to the face, along with some powerful hits. Hits that knocked you around.”</p><p>“I’m alright.” He shrugged after a second, slipping by and starting the long walk back to their dorm. “I had a few bruises coming out of the fight, and a bit of a headache, too, but my Aura saw to both.”</p><p>“I’m glad!” Pyrrha said brightly, falling into step just behind him as she so often did. “You took several rather grievous blows after all. They looked like they hurt, too.”</p><p>“They did.” He nodded, taking a breath and flicking his gaze up and down the mostly empty halls for anyone that might have been listening. When he didn’t see anyone paying them any mind at all, he asked, “Is that why you cheated, Pyrrha?”</p><p>“I-I…”</p><p>“Oh for fuck sake.” Nora cut in, sliding between him and the Mistralian and yanking him around to point a finger in his face. “You were in trouble, she helped. That’s what a team should do.”</p><p>“Not when it goes that far, where she could get hurt for it.” He hissed, turning and growling under his breath while he looked for anyone paying too much attention to them, “And keep moving, and quiet about it, unless you want someone to hear about it, Nora.”</p><p>“Fine.” The Valkyrie growled, “It can wait”</p><p>The rest of the walk passed in a tense kind of silence that persisted right up until the moment their door clicked shut.</p><p>“Pyrrha just wanted to help, Jaune! You can’t be mad about that.” Nora immediately started, as if she’d put her argument on pause like her head was a tape player. He sighed and turned a flat look on her, but that only made her scowl even harder and drop onto her bed with a huff. “What?”</p><p>“Nora, do you actually think I’m angry she helped me?”</p><p>“...Well, I did, but now I feel kinda silly for that because it sounds like that ain’t it.” She muttered, face softening for her confusion when he shook his head. “Then what were you so- Oh, shit.”</p><p>“She remembered.” Ren sighed, laying a hand on the upset champion’s shoulder and explaining, quietly, “He’s not mad at you. You can relax.”</p><p>“Can I?” She asked, “I feel… Terrible.”</p><p>“It can’t be helped now, Pyr.” He sighed, collapsing on his bed and paying her a small smile. “No one said anything, so maybe no one noticed. But… I just don’t get why you’d risk doing something like that.”</p><p>“It was instinct… I didn’t even realize I was doing it until I had done it.” Pyrrha said in quiet response, knees pressed together and hands folded into her lap. She flicked him a look and then turned her gaze back on her hands in her lap. “It was foolish, I know, but… I’ve seen what Hermits can do to a man when his Aura is low.”</p><p>“Goodwitch would have intervened.”</p><p>“The Arena had guardians, too, Jaune.” She said quietly, “They were meant to intervene in bouts that were for glory, not blood. Still, I lost bunkmates and friends to those matches. Often, by the time the Guardians realized the danger, it was too late to intervene. Human error, as they say.”</p><p>“Ah…” And now he felt like a dick, too. Sighing, he pulled Mort Noire off his belt and set it to the side. Kicking his shoes off he shrugged, “Let’s just ignore it, then. Nothing came of it, and I get the reasoning. But next time, I would prefer to take the loss than for you to put yourself in harm’s way, Pyr.”</p><p>“I… Will try.”</p><p>“Uh huh.” He snorted, “Nora, if she tries to step in again, you have permission to initiate aggressive cuddling.”</p><p>“Ohohohohoh~!” The Mistralian bounced in her spot, beaming a wide smile, “Really? For serious? Cuz I’m a mean cuddler!”</p><p>“She really is.” Ren warned, “Don’t let her out of the cage.”</p><p>“I’m…” Pyrrha blinked, “In danger?”</p><p>“Oh you have no idea.” Nora grinned widely, standing and leering at the other Mistralian until she blinked and made to escape. Then, like a spider waiting for its prey to try and run, she leapt and tackled the taller woman. “Heeeeeeere’s Nora!”</p><p>“Nice save, Arc.” Mort whispered quietly, “Managed not to upset the cuties. Good job.”</p><p>While the two wrestled, Jaune laughed and laid back on his bed, content to  just rest for a bit. Mort warned him about ‘missing out on the view’, because of course he did, but he ignored the spirit.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>So fun fact, but Jaune’s spells are based on tabletop game spells. Admittedly applied with some creative liberties, but still.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Chappy Grimdark (Chp 11) :</p><p>To be fair, they are in canon. I've just been pitting them against high tier, ancient Grimm. The likes of Beowolves are still chaff, except in numbers.</p><p>Smokey Panda :</p><p>Convenient!</p><p>Human Dragon :</p><p>Grimm deteriorate on death, so getting a picture would be hard. Further, any picture of any Grimm could do. I could download one from online and spend time in the woods, then come in and say I killed the Grimm. My point here is that at some point trust comes in.</p><p>Trust and ‘You’ll never work in this region again if you lie’ that is. Because word of a liar would spread unless you prevented it, which would probably be more work and risk than doing the job.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. History's Weight - V</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“I’m aware you worked it out in the end, Jaune, but that isn’t the point.” Mort rasped the next morning while Jaune showered and shaved. It was nice to be clean-shaven again, even if he’d only been a bit on the bushy side before. “You’re too... Aggressive, Jaune. And ignoring me won’t do anything about that.”</p><p>“Who says anything needs to be done?”</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>“And who else?” Jaune asked quietly, parroting his mother and adding, “Any advice that only one person gives you is probably bad advice, Mort.”</p><p>“No one else here knows you like I do, Arc. No one here has lived with your snarky behind for years, now. And no one knows you enough to feel right telling you this, either.” The sword answered quietly, humming against the wood of the wall he’d leaned it against. “I do, though. And this isn’t a good way to go for you, Arc.”</p><p>“And you have a lot of experience here, do you?”</p><p>“More than you can know, Arc.” Mort whispered lowly, making Jaune’s brows furrow in worry and confusion. “Just… Ease off the throttle a bit. I know you aren’t exactly the most well socialised blonde murder hobo in the world after the last few years, but you have to try a bit harder.”</p><p>“First of all, murder hobo?” He laughed as the sour mood slipped away. “Really?”</p><p>“Hey, I call it how I see it.” Mort defended, “And I see a murder hobo. Admittedly sans the murder part, but hey, still fits.”</p><p>“I don’t think it fits by definition, Mort.” He laughed, shaking his head and tugging his shirt on. Buttoning up his blazer, he turned to something more serious and asked, “So, how do you think I should have handled the crab?”</p><p>“Less fighting it head on, more laying traps for it.” Mort answered without a thought, “Lay a Fire Trap or Fire Wall and let it run through it and wear itself down.” </p><p>“I was worried that if I tried to run, it’d run me down.” And that was not how he wanted to go out, if he had any choice at all. “Plus, I don’t want to rely too much on your abilities.</p><p>“It was fast, yeah, but a few explosions under its feet were bound to slow it down.” Mort answered quietly, as if they were thinking it through as they talked. “And I’m rather certain all concerned have more or less assumed you’re using Dust or a Semblance for my fires. But I suppose it doesn’t hurt being careful.”</p><p>“My thoughts-”</p><p>“Jaune?” Pyrrha’s voice cut him off, even muffled as it was by the bathroom door. “Are you, um… Talking to someone?”</p><p>“Just, uh, myself!” He lied as smoothly as he could, plucking his sword from the corner by the door and looping the sword-belt around his waist as quickly as he was able. “Just, uh, thinking about the fight yesterday. Things I could have done, things I did that I shouldn’t have. The usual.”</p><p>“Understandable, but, um-”</p><p>“If you don’t get outta there so Nora can have her shower, Nora is going to break the door down!” Nora warned him loudly, “And Nora might like rock hard abs, but they won’t save you from Nora’s wrath!”</p><p>“Why is Nora talking in the third person?”</p><p>“Because Nora is trying out a thing, Jauney!” The hammerer snapped back, “Now c’mon, Nora has to pee!”</p><p>He laughed and, dressed now, tugged the door open to step out. Nora rushed in before he could, though, and shoved him out and into the waiting arms of his partner who stumbled back under his weight. She was strong, though, and picked him up to set him on his own two feet with little trouble and a wide smile.</p><p>“She’s in a mood today…” Jaune chuckled as he straightened and tugged his blazer straight, “Anything happen?”</p><p>“Ren was too late to get the chocolate pancakes they put out on Tuesdays.” Ren muttered as he sidled by and sat a few take-away plates of food on the bed. “So Ren is in the proverbial doghouse for… Probably the next fifteen minutes or so, if I had to hazard a guess.”</p><p>“Nora heard that, Ren!”</p><p>“Uh, Ren means if Ren had to hazard a guess…”</p><p>“That’s better!” Nora called back, “And save me a couple biscuits please!”</p><p>“Ren will save them for you.” The man sighed, muttering under his breath, “One of these days, Ren is going to hide her favorite sock again.”</p><p>“She has a favorite sock?”</p><p>“Apparently so. And in the third person because Nora pouted him into it.” Pyrrha explained as the shower cut on in the bathroom and Jaune sat down to eat. Pyrrha joined him after a quick gesture to ask to sit beside him and sighed contentedly, “At least the mornings do not lack for entertainment. Hm?”</p><p>“No, they do not.” Jaune chuckled, grabbing a sausage and cheese. “Looking forward to Oobleck today?”</p><p>“Honestly, I am.” She nodded energetically, “History was something scarcely taught to us, living in the Arena. And I find it fascinating to learn about, almost more so than what combat class offers us.”</p><p>“You are a champion fighter already.” Ren pointed out quietly from his and Nora’s pushed together beds. “You spent years fighting all kinds of Grimm and other fighters, I- Er, Ren assumes. It makes sense that you’d not really have much interest in fighting compared to something new and fresh.”</p><p>“That… Makes sense, yes.” Pyrrha nodded, “And though the subject matters often are not, it feels more… Well, innocent, as a subject.”</p><p>“No one gets hurt.” Jaune nodded understandingly, chewing on a bite while he thought. “You remind me of my sister…”</p><p>“Oh?” Pyrrha blinked, “Younger?”</p><p>“Why do you guess that?”</p><p>“You are a man already.” Pyrrha answered with a shrug, “And I have heard no tell of other Arcs your age out in the world, doing their great deeds, so… I presumed you would be the eldest.”</p><p>“Well… Close to.” He said quietly, turning back to his food and sighing. “But no, I mean Saphron. She’s… Well, my older sister, and the heiress to House Arc at Ansel.”</p><p>“I thought Valean nobility inherited patrilineally, though…”</p><p>“They do.” Jaune sighed and sat his food aside, appetite beginning to fade a bit. “There was… A complication about Saph’s, well, future. We duelled for the title and, as you can probably guess, I lost. So I was disinherited and sent on my merry way.”</p><p>“That’s terrible.” Pyrrha murmured, eyes suddenly hard. “That can’t stand. Surely you can do something now, right?”</p><p>“Nothing I’m willing to.” He chuckled, waving for her to take it down a notch. “I got my freedom, and Saph got her title. We both won, in the end, and now I can do what I please without worrying about my name. Beyond what I just can’t avoid, at least.”</p><p>“If you want to talk about-”</p><p>“I don’t.” He cut her off, grimacing when she blinked and Mort hissed a warning in his ear. “What I, uh, mean is that it’s… A sensitive subject, Pyr. Not something I want to start a day out talking over.”</p><p>“Ah, I see.” She nodded, and smiled again, warm and relaxed. “Well, then we should eat and get ready for class. You finished your assignment, right Nora?”</p><p>“Nora did!” The Valkyrie called back through the door, “Nora has it in Nora’s backpack!”</p><p>“She does not.” Ren sighed, holding up a little folder and then tucking it into Nora’s pink bag, “Ren is putting it in there.”</p><p>“Nora appreciates it!”</p><p>“Jaune hates this…”</p><p>“Well, Pyrrha finds it quite charming.”</p><p>“Mort is just happy to be here and not in a box!”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Now that you have completed your readings, or at least ought to have, considering the paper assignment I gave you, we can move on from how the Great War was fought to a better question.” Oobleck smiled and turned to gesture to the large, bold words written across his board. “Why was the war fought, and who was at fault?”</p><p>“Oh, I was dreading this part…”</p><p>“Rest assured, Miss Schnee, I won’t settle for an answer as childish and simplistic as ‘Mantle’ or anything of the sort.” Doctor Oobleck chuckled, pacing back and forth at the front of the lecture hall with a wide smile. “No, no, I want to know what you, as individuals, believe is the root cause of the war.  Lord Winchester, your thoughts?”</p><p>“Art.” He answered without a moment’s thought, “Not sayin’ destroying it was good, but art is the source of the problem.”</p><p>“Blaming art for the problem is like blaming a villager for getting mauled. Or a woman for getting assaulted.” Blake argued quietly from a few rows away, “While I’m not surprised to hear it from you, but the logic still doesn’t follow.”</p><p>“What is that supposed to me-”</p><p>“Obviously, the fault lies with the woman who started the movement years before the war.” Blake went on, ignoring the grumbling noble entirely. “Countess Isabella the Grimm Slayer, of fallen House Vedette. Her journal goes into great detail about how and why she banned art and expressionism in her fiefs along the western coasts. For unknown reasons, the Grimm’s numbers dipped in the region, and she was convinced it was because of the art ban. The Grimm borne suffering of former House Lindel inland, a known patron of the arts, only convinced her and her followers, and that spread into Mantle.”</p><p>“Just for the record,” Cardin sighed, face pinched in an obvious effort not to net any more punishments, “I wasn’t blaming the art. Just… Just saying that was the problem.”</p><p>“A worthwhile correction,” Oobleck nodded, “and Lady Belladonna will refrain from using her time to insult you or anyone else. Am I clear?”</p><p>“Yes, Doctor.”</p><p>“Very good.” The Doctor nodded, “And your answers were close. Art was blamed, and thus used to excuse the fighting, but it wasn’t the source. And Lady Vedette was the origin of the ideology that caused the conflict, but also isn’t the cause. Does anyone else-”</p><p>“The Grimm.” Yang suddenly cut the man off. Instead of being offended, though, he smiled pleasantly and waved for her to elaborate. “The Grimm’s attacks caused Vedette to get those ideas in her head, and their attacks justified them too, since they hit House Lindel harder. Everyone that joined her did it because of the Grimm, too. So at the end of the day, it was people slap fighting with artillery they should’a been using on the real problem.”</p><p>“Precisely.” Doctor Oobleck nodded and even clapped, smiling widely, “And very well explained as well! Extra marks on your next assignment, Miss Xiao Long.”</p><p>“Extra-” The blonde clapped, too, and whooped loudly, “Whoo, extra cred!”</p><p>“Miss Xiao Long…”</p><p>“R-Right.” The brawler laughed awkwardly, “Sorry, Doc.” </p><p>“Forgiven, due to your excellent answer.” The man nodded, turning to speak to the class at large as he paced, one finger held up for them all to see. “Art was hated by the Mantlelian movement not because of what it, in and of itself, represented. But because of what it showed. Conflict, emotion, the Human-”</p><p>“Ahem.”</p><p>“Apologies, Lady Belladonna, the sentient condition.” Doctor Oobleck amended smoothly, bowing his head in a silent thanks for the correction. A thanks that seemed genuine, too, but then Jaune supposed he was the type. “Do forgive me, I was raised and taught Mistrali and Hertsrom, while a great philosopher, was a bit Human centric. And old lessons stick deeply, you understand.”</p><p>“My family knows that more than most, Sir.” Blake smiled, “And think nothing of it. I apologize for interrupting.”</p><p>“Nonsense, the correction was warranted.” The man smiled back, humming and turning back to the class without another thought for it. “As I was saying, they feared what art showed, not art itself. Unfortunately, tragically, they showed the very same faults they feared art showing by attempting to stifle it. Does anyone know what the brief period leading up to the Great War was called?”</p><p>“Die wärmsten Nächte von Solitas.” Weiss answered quietly, translating when Oobleck gestured to her, “The Warmest Nights of Solitas. So named because of… All the bonfires made of all the artwork the revolutionaries seized from homes and museums. It’s often also referred to as the Nacht des schreienden Künstlers.”</p><p>“The night of the screaming artists.” Oobleck nodded solemnly, “Named thusly because of all the murdered poets, authors, painters and sculptors that could not escape Mantle. And who were murdered and often, according to rumor, burned with their art.”</p><p>“That’s awful…” Pyrrha murmured lowly, “How could anyone do something like that to other people?”</p><p>He had to resist the urge not to point out how Mistral had treated her… And it was hard to do, too.</p><p>“After the initial riots, there was a coup, which intensified the riots to come.” Oobleck went on quietly, “But never once did those Mantlelians consider why they were doing these things. Why they were hurting their fellows. The Grimm.”</p><p>“And all of this has been a long form attempt to teach every man and woman in this room the same, very important lesson. The one Mantle didn’t grasp. The one some in this world, and even this very class, fail to grasp even now.” The look he turned on his class now was long and slow, and seemed to linger on several of them. Cardin was an obvious one, but it landed on Jaune himself for a heartbeat longer than was comfortable before he moved on and he heard a few others shuffling around him as well. Finally, Oobleck spoke, “Tonight, I want you all to do an analytical paper on the influences the Grimm had on the Great War. Tomorrow, we will review some of the drier, more factual information ahead of moving to the Faunus Rights Revolution by the end of the week.”</p><p> Several of the students in the room groaned at that, but that at least signalled the end of the class. As they stood, gathering their things and preparing to head out, a voice called out from the door, “A moment before you all leave, if you please.”</p><p>The quiet chatter died down and they all turned to Headmaster Ozpin, who paced into the room slowly with a grim look on his face. </p><p>“As you all know, Beacon strives to be a place of many peoples, cultures and backgrounds.” He started quietly, hard eyes roving over the class until they found Cardin’s team and settled. “Some among us, though, cannot stomach this. So, Lord Winchester, you are to report to my office in one hour for a meeting about your tenure here.”</p><p>“Why-”</p><p>“And on a related note, Lord Arc, I require you and Miss Nikos in my office in ten minutes.” Ozpin cut the young Hunter hopeful off, frown deepening almost into a scowl. “Miss Nikos, bring your paperwork and your grade regulator.”</p><p>“M-May I ask why...?”</p><p>“You’ll find out details in my office, but for now, you know you’re under review.” The man sighed, turning to leave, “And hopefully you all understand why.”</p><p>As the man left, every single eye in the room turned to Cardin, who scowled and threw his hand up at them as he stormed away. Most had no idea what was going on, and murmured confusedly among their team, but everyone could at least guess Cardin would be on the wrong side of the problem. Jaune stared daggers into his back as he went, and he wasn’t the only one, but he didn’t say anything to him. Instead, he turned to Pyrrha and smiled.</p><p>“Don’t worry.” He smiled, “We’ll figure this out.”</p><p>“Or burn this bitch down.” Mort whispered in his ear, “Definitely probably one of those.”</p><p>“I hope so. But when a student is reviewed, they don’t usually… Pass.” Pyrrha murmured, letting him tug her into a hug and sighing into his chest. After a second, she pushed away and smiled, “But if anyone can find a way to prevent this from becoming a greater problem, it’s my fearless leader.”</p><p>“Yeah,” he nodded, “I’ll find a way out for you.”</p><p>Even if he couldn’t think of one now...</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Zenith Tempest :</p><p>I have sort of found a niche for crossover stories, haven’t I? Anyway, the hook up until now has just been exploring an - in my opinion, at least - interesting world. Which will continue throughout in various ways. The next hook, for a short while at least, ought to be apparent.</p><p>I tried to get across that the Hermit Prince was moving very quickly, which Goodwitch stated was his weakness. Fast, very well armored and relatively strong, opponents. If I failed that, sorry, but mostly I wanted him to be pushed far enough for Pyrrha to step in the way she did.</p><p>Also, his major asset in the field was Mort’s magic, which he limits the use of here. So make of his strength what you will, bearing that in mind.</p><p>Paradox Reader :</p><p>Jaune here is based on a ‘myrmidon’ or ‘swordmaster’ archetype from Fire Emblem. Most of those lack shields. I used them as a template in his design. As for spells, I alternate between Pathfinder and DnD accidentally, since I’ve played neither. Advice on what spells would be good for what is always welcome!</p><p>Sebine :</p><p>Mort is a good, er, sword phantom.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Warpath - I</h2></a>
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    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>As he and Pyrrha walked through the dorm halls, Jaune’s hand tightened around the grip of his sword until his knuckles ached and his Aura flared to heal them. If it wasn’t for that, he was half sure that his palms would already be bleeding. At the moment, though, the ache in his hand was nothing to the one in his head, throbbing in time to every heartbeat as he skulked his way through the dorms ahead of his partner.</p><p>Finally, he hissed, “I’ll kill Winchester for this.”</p><p>“Jaune…”</p><p>“You can’t.” Pyrrha said, voice quiet but steady and empty of the normal brightness there. He turned and she met his gaze, face flat and impassive. “The Winchesters are a large family… Too large for one man to face.”</p><p>“I’m not just a man, I’m an Arc.” He countered, turning back to the way they were headed. “My family disinherited me, true, but there’s no love lacking between us. If the Winchesters come for me, then it will mean-”</p><p>“War.” Pyrrha cut him off, an edge to her tone that made him hesitate and flick a look over his shoulder at her. She only raised an eyebrow over an otherwise unnervingly calm face, given everything, and asked, “Correct?”</p><p>“Yeah… That.” He nodded, rounding the last corner on their way and fishing for his Scroll to unlock their door.  “But the Arcs won’t be alone in this. Other families will stand with us. Maybe even Menagerie, if I ask Blake to-”</p><p>“I will not risk what amounts to another great war over me, Jaune.” Pyrrha cut him off and, when he rounded on her, he finally saw emotion on her face. Lip trembling for fear and fury, she set her shoulders and argued, “One woman isn’t worth that…”</p><p>“But Pyr-”</p><p>“And besides the obvious matters to hand.” She smiled stiffly, “Is not everything being done here legal?”</p><p>“Legal doesn’t mean moral…”</p><p>“Perhaps no, Jaune, perhaps not.” She granted, striding past him to look out down the hall at a distant window, through which Jaune could just make out a blue sky tinged by grey clouds. “But for that, I do not think your calls for help would find so many ears as you think… And by the time you learn that fact, it could cost blood I don’t want shed.”</p><p>“I choose who I shed my blood for.” He argued quietly, drumming a finger on his sword hilt. “I’ve been doing that for years, now. Grimm mostly, but… Well, every Huntsman has to face enemies that shoot back at some point.”</p><p>“Such is a Hunstman’s duty, ‘tis true.” Pyrrha nodded, “But you are years from that yet, Jaune.”</p><p>“We’ll see if a Winchester on the other end thinks my titles matter, then, Pyr.” He growled, turning and nearly slamming his Scroll into the reader. The little lock’s chime was a bit too cheery for him, but the door let him through either way, so he supposed he couldn’t be too offended. </p><p>Even if smashing the damn thing would relieve some pent up anger…</p><p>“Jaune, I would be clear about this, since you can be so stubborn.” The scarlet-haired woman said as she gathered up what Ozpin had ordered her to bring. Paying him a look, she said, simply, “I will fall onto my own sword before I have any of you bleed for my indiscretions and the law’s reprisals therein.”</p><p>“In Mistral, that’s a bad way to go.” Mort explained for him, “Shameful, really. Not how a Champion should die…”</p><p>“But…”</p><p>“Jaune, she’s not giving you a choice.” Mort argued quietly, “At least in the Arena of Mistral she has a slim chance of surviving… At the end of her own sword, she has none. I can say that for the firmest of facts.”</p><p>It filled Jaune’s stomach with churning bile to hear both of their words, but… But Jaune had an idea, suddenly blooming in the back of his mind. Turning, he leaned against the wall and murmured, “The law’s the problem…”</p><p>“Jaune?”</p><p>“I’m right, aren’t I?” He asked, raising one brow, “If the law wasn’t on Winchester’s side in this, then I wouldn’t need to worry about lacking allies. He would. And I could even rip Mistral’s claims out from under them to boot. Do you understand what I’m saying?”</p><p>“Not really, no…” She admitted sheepishly, “I… Fear that I am not the best at such things, you understand. With shield and spear, I’m a natural, but…”</p><p>“What if the law actually protected you, Pyr?” Jaune explained in the form of the real question at hand, turning to meet the woman’s gaze, “What if… What if I had a way that could keep you safe, and maybe prevent this from becoming something even bigger?”</p><p>“That would be perfect…” She answered cautiously, head tilted to the side as she appraised him. “Too perfect, I fear.”</p><p>Quietly, Jaune pushed off the wall and reach around to draw Mort. The sword rasped twice, once for the scrape of the blade and the second to ask, “Jaune… What exactly are you doing?”</p><p>“Pyrrha.” He said, ignoring the sword, “Kneel, right in front of me.”</p><p>“Jaune?”</p><p>“Just trust me, Pyr.” He said, resting the blade of his weapon against his shoulder. Quietly, and aware of the plea in his tone, he asked, “Please, Pyr.”</p><p>“You clever bitch…”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Ah, Lord Arc. Miss Nikos. I’m glad you could make it.” Ozpin smiled as the two of them stepped out of the elevator and into his office. Still smiling as they crossed the room, he mused, “My, my, you took a while to get here…”</p><p>“Nerves.” Jaune not-quite-lied, easing into his seat while Pyrrha took her own next to him. Turning, he smiled and paid the tall blonde at the Headmaster’s shoulder a smile and a respectfully deep nod. “Lady Goodwitch.”</p><p>“Lord Arc.” She nodded, curt but as always smiling ever so slightly for his respect. Turning, she offered a wave of a hand to introduce him to the suited man sitting in the third seat, further to the side of the desk. “The Liaison from Mistral, Mister Coppercap here for this… Well, forgive my boldness, but frankly needless review.”</p><p>“I will forgive naught, Madame.” The old, bald man said through a voice that sounded very much like Mort’s to Jaune’s ears. His skin was wrinkled and pale, too, and even though the seats Ozpin had offered them were comfortable, he sat like he was in pain, and rubbed one of his knees slowly, as if he was easing a sprain. To Ozpin, he asked, “Do you allow all your lessers to speak so freely, Lord?”</p><p>“Ah, well, I’m afraid I don’t have lessers.” Ozpin smiled, “But if I did, I’d let them speak their minds.”</p><p>“Typical Valeans… They don’t know when to hold their lessers’ tongues...” The man hissed just lowly enough to be able to politely wave it off if anyone decided to say something, but loud enough to be heard. Rasping out a sigh, the old man moved on. “I presume we are all well aware of why we’re here, then?”</p><p>“Lord Arc?”</p><p>“We are.” He answered, paying the Headmaster a nod and offering Pyrrha’s documentation with the other. The man hesitated to take it but, after a nod from Pyrrha, did so gingerly. Quietly, Jaune said, “I took the liberty of perusing her records and am happy to inform all involved that they are more than above what is expected of her by her visa contract. Further, in combat courses-”</p><p>“Lord Arc!” The Headmistress cut in suddenly, mouth gaping as if in shock, “Surely you know that Miss Nikos’ records, much less her visa agreement, are legally not viewable by anyone save myself, the Headmaster and appointed agents of Mistral!”</p><p>“That’s close to everyone allowed to view these materials, Lady, but you’re missing out on one more person.” Jaune smiled, turning to meet Coppercap’s narrow, suspicious eyes. “In Vale, a Lord has certain… Rights. Things he can do, in specific circumstances, that no one else is able to. Permitted to, I mean.”</p><p>“What are you getting at…”</p><p>“What he’s getting at is insane, Mister Coppercap.” Ozpin explained, laughing brightly and leaning back in his chair to take a long, deep sip from his mug. Setting it down with a spritely click, he leaned back in and asked, “Am I right, Lord Arc, in presuming that you exercised your Right of Vassalage to get out of this?”</p><p>“You are close, Sir. But I did so a fair while ago. It’s not recent.” He nodded, raising a hand to quiet Pyrrha when she tried to cut in. “I’ll handle this, Nikos. I’m ordering you to keep your tongue.”</p><p>“Y-Yes, my Lord…”</p><p>“I see…” And was Jaune insane, or were Ozpin’s eyes sparkling? Whatever the case, he turned to Coppercap and waved a dismissive hand. “You may leave, good sir, and I am sorry for having made you come all this way for nothing.”</p><p>“I may…” The old man blinked, “I have not even begun the inquiry!”</p><p>“The inquiry is based on a complaint lodged by the House Winchester, over an event very recently passed.” Ozpin said, “One I’m assuming happened after Miss Nikos was…?”</p><p>“Made my Shield.” Jaune filled in, smiling wider, “And yes. Almost a week after, in fact. Which, under Valean law…”</p><p>“...Invalidates the complaint.” The Headmistress murmured as she put the pieces together, eyes flicking between Jaune, Ozpin and Pyrrha quickly. The corner of her lip quirked a bit before she explained for the Mistralian representative’s benefit. “A Lord’s Shield is not, by law, considered a tangibly separate person. And so, while it is incredibly rarely done, they may fight alongside them in tourneys and training matches.”</p><p>“Meaning that Miss Nikos’ intervention in the combat training bout was perfectly legal.” Ozpin finished, “A mite frowned upon, true, but legal. And thus, Lord Winchester has no legal claim to file a review request or a complaint. Lord Arc could, in fact, have simply walked onto the arena floor with her at his side.”</p><p>“This is preposterous…”</p><p>“This is Vale, my friend. And when you are in Vale, you will abide our laws and customs.” Ozpin smiled, rising and waving a hand toward the elevator. “And as your reason for being here has been so thoroughly removed, I will thank you to respect my power and begone.”</p><p>“You cannot-”</p><p>“Ah!” Ozpin smiled, raising a single finger for silence. “As you said, I ought not let my lessers speak so freely. So keep your tongue and begone, or I will have you leave your tongue here and remove you personally.”</p><p>Rising and scowling, the wizened creature of a man turned and skulked to the elevator. Ozpin watched him all the while and, when he turned to press the down button, paid him a smile and a wave in farewell. It was only once the elevator was on its way that the smiling Headmaster retook his seat and sighed contentedly.</p><p>“You, Lord Arc,” he laughed, pointing a finger at him, “are far more cunning than I first thought you would be. I will have to apologize for that.”</p><p>“Uh, thank you, Sir?” Jaune blinked and smiled awkwardly. That had sounded strangely like an insult…  “I… Forgive you, Lord Headmaster?”</p><p>“You’re too kind, my Lord.” Ozpin smiled and leaned back, tapping one of his long fingers on the rim of his mug idly. After a few moments, he asked, “If you trust me, I am curious… When did you make Miss Nikos your Shield, Lord Arc?”</p><p>“...”</p><p>“I assure you, my Lord, I’m an ally of yours in this. I’ve no great love for Mistral’s, pardon me Miss Nikos, backwards ideas of entertainment.” Ozpin smiled when he didn’t answer, and raised his hands in a gesture of playful faux surrender. “I am only curious. That and, well, if this comes up later, I need to know how best to help you.”</p><p>“What the Headmaster means is that the more iron-clad your legal status, the less likely Lord Winchester and Mistral are to make a play against you.” The Headmistress explained tersely, “So, if you would be open with us, we can help you build that legal grounding. If needs be, that is.”</p><p>“Jaune, you should be careful who you trust.” Mort whispered in his ear, “But in times like these, powerful friends in high places are worth taking a risk on. Whatever your way, I’m with you... If only to avoid the box.”</p><p>It felt good to have Mort back him up so readily, whether or not he tried to play up the box as an excuse for it. He could feel more than that in his words.</p><p>“...We did it before coming here, Lord Headmaster.” He finally admitted, after turning a questioning look on his partner and getting a nod from her. “I couldn’t think of anything else that would cut this off at the knees except marriage or adoption. And I’m not quite old enough for the latter, and I figured Pyr wouldn’t enjoy the, uh, well, the conditions of the former.”</p><p>“True enough, I suppose.” Ozpin chuckled, adding after a moment, “By the by, Lord, you may wish to give your new Shield permission to speak again. Whether or not you did it for the theatrics of the moment, which I rather enjoyed, you did issue an order. And Miss Nikos is quite the dutiful one.”</p><p>“A-Ah, right.” He turned, “You can, uh, talk, Pyr. Sorry.”</p><p>“Thank you, Lord.” She finally, sheepishly, answered. Bouncing a leg anxiously she paid Ozpin a nod, “And you as well, Lord Headmaster. You are quite right that my new Lord will need to bear in mind Mistrali sentiment more.”</p><p>“Okay one, you don’t have to call me Lord-”</p><p>“Would you prefer Master?”</p><p>“-No I definitely would not, Lord works, if you can’t just call me Jaune.” He sighed, shaking his head and muttering a curse under his breath. In spite of the Academy’s rules against it, even the Headmistress only rolled her eyes for it.  “And two, don’t think I don’t hear the passive aggressiveness in there, Pyr.”</p><p>“Just for the record, I like-” Jaune flicked Mort’s gem before he could finish and the spirit hissed. “Dick.”</p><p>“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” She smiled, cocking her head to the side and adding quietly, “I was merely offering my Lord proper guidance.”</p><p>“Uh-huh.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. Honestly, who would have expected Pyrrha Nikos to tease him, now of all times? Moving on, he asked, “Will that be all then, Lord Headmaster?”</p><p>“Almost.” He nodded, “Do you know how to mark her out properly as your Shield?”</p><p>“Mark her out…?”</p><p>“Your tutors should have taught you as much.” Goodwitch explained with a weary sigh, “A couple years ago, at the least, when most nobles begin to look into such matters. But… But you were not at home at the time, I suppose, and so would have missed out on such lessons. I apologize.”</p><p>“I missed out on a handful, yeah.” He nodded and shrugged dismissively, “Mostly economics and politics, but yeah, I missed out on some martial stuff too. And don’t apologize unless you mean offense, Lady Goodwitch. I have plenty of real enemies out there, and you’re not one of them, so I won’t ask you to walk on eggshells.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“How about I won’t tolerate it, then?” He asked, smiling, “I told you already I’m not the most strict of Human beings when it comes to these kinds of things. I learned fast, out on the Frontier.”</p><p>“I suppose that is sensible… Moving on, then.” She sighed, explaining quietly, “Shields are typically marked out by icons of their sworn family, usually on shields or on cloaks they wear, much like Lords do.”</p><p>“Strictly speaking, you can contest a Shield’s actions if they aren’t marked out properly. As Miss Nikos isn’t.” Ozpin added, “Though the easy way to dismiss it in this case would be for you to argue you lack the Lien.”</p><p>“Which isn’t a lie.” Jaune added, for Pyrrha’s honor’s sake. Turning to her he asked, “unless you have it and don’t mind?”</p><p>“I do, and I don’t.” Pyrrha nodded, “But we will have to head into Vale to get it. Which will require time, no?”</p><p>“Forward the Lien to me.” Ozpin said with an oddly coy nod, “I’ll call in some favors from some rather exceptionally old friends of mine.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Jaune asked, “I don’t want to put you out…” </p><p>“It’s no trouble, they owe me so it won’t cost to have it rushed through.” He answered, waving the matter off with a hand when Jaune frowned unsurely. “It’s no trouble. And honestly, truth be told, I’m not exactly fond of the House Winchester. While at the same time, I have something of an attachment to House Arc.”</p><p>“I wasn’t aware of that…”</p><p>“It’s a personal one, not official.” He answered, “And mostly due to our agreements on matters of principle and politics. I’ve favor with several Houses for the same reasons. As well with Menagerie.”</p><p>“I see.” And that went some way to explaining why, exactly, Blake had chosen Beacon for her education. If Ozpin had those feelings, and they were even mildly public, it would have been easy for Blake to find out.</p><p>It explained a few things about the student body, too…</p><p>“Well, now that that’s settled, you’re both dismissed.” Ozpin smiled and raised an eyebrow, “Unless you have anything else to tell me?”</p><p>“Now why does that feel like a leading question?”</p><p>“Nothing, Sir.” He shook his head, rising and turning to leave. “Good day, Lord Headmaster.”</p><p>“The same to you.” He nodded and then, as the elevator came and they stepped into it, he called out. “And by the by, that is a very… Fine sword you have, regardless of its appearance. The gem alone is exquisite.”</p><p>“Thank you, Headmaster.” He answered, wrapping a hand around the grip and nodding his thanks. “It’s a family sword.”</p><p>“Oh, I know.” Ozpin smiled as the doors slid closed, “Believe me, I know.”</p><p>“Well, that was creepy…” Mort murmured as they descended.</p><p>They’d taken the words right out of Jaune’s mouth, too...</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>For the record, because I know some will leap to the conclusion-</p><p>No, this mess isn;t handled by a clever lie. And no, Pyrrha is not happy about it. Both these will be expanded upon in coming chapters.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Underdogking :</p><p>Glad you caught it in one! Lol.</p><p>Nightengale :</p><p>I don’t mind suggestions at all! Lol. Some of those will be tweaked, though, if I use ‘em. Mort has a fire motif that’s kinda obvious, and I’m doing it both for aesthetics - *cackles in pyromancer* - but also for meaning. Jaune is based on Jeanne d’Arc, after all.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Warpath - II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>No sooner had he and his new Shield gotten back to his dorm did Nora arrive, dressed in gear for the combat class she was definitely skipping between Goodwitch being tied up with their meeting and Nora being… Well, Nora. She shoved them through the door, locked it behind her, and leaned Magnhild against it so no one could get in to interrupt them. At least not without a lot of effort.</p><p>But then she seemed to… Come to a stop, looking around the room and at everything but the two of them standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.</p><p>“Uh, Nora…?” He prompted, dragging her attention back to him. She raised an eyebrow and chewed her lip, one hand wrapped around Magnhild while the other tapped anxiously on the wall she was leaning on. “What’s going-”</p><p>“What was the meeting about?” Nora asked, cutting him off and looking him square in the eye. “Headmaster came and dragged you off himself, in front of everybody. That’s... I’m dumb, at normal person stuff, but even I know that’s bad.”</p><p>“Ah, well…” He flicked a look to Pyrrha but the other Mistralian only shrugged unsurely and cocked her head, clearly leaving him to explain. He sighed and tried for the shorter version. “Winchester reported Pyrrha for helping me back in Goodwitch’s combat class. And since she’s here thanks to the Arena-”</p><p>“They can take her back if she makes them look bad.” Nora murmured, face screwing up in a deep, hot scowl when he nodded. Her fingers closed around Magnhild’s grip and she snarled, lowly, “I’d like to see ‘em try.”</p><p>“They, uh, already did.” Nora’s eyes snapped to Pyrrha and the champion smiled awkwardly, rubbing one of her biceps with an anxious hand. “The meeting was with a representative of the Arena, here to… Judge me, and Winchester’s claims.”</p><p>“But,” Jaune rushed to add, before Nora could try anything or, worse, panic and try anything, “I dealt with it.”</p><p>“You…” She blinked, confused, “You ‘dealt with it’?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, smiling as the earlier tension washed all the way out of him. Kicking off his shoes, he relaxed on the bed and sighed. “It took some… clever thinking about the law-”</p><p>“Which I am still not the greatest fan of.” Pyrrha cut in sharply, turning a sad smile on Jaune when he raised an eyebrow. “Forgive me, Lord, but… I figured you would like me to speak my mind. And as much as I enjoy the result, and do not particularly mind skirting the edges of law, I do not like the path there.”</p><p>“That’s… Fair enough, I guess.” And he did prefer for her to speak freely. It made him feel less like a new master for her and more like the friend he wanted to be. So he sighed and shrugged the problem off, turning back to Nora and explaining for the somewhat more confused woman. “I named Pyrrha my Shield, before the meeting. Which means that...”</p><p>“Which means…” Nora cocked her head at Jaune, hand still wrapped firmly around Magnhild, and he swallowed anxiously. “What, exactly?”</p><p>“Valean law doesn’t consider a Shield a truly separate person.” Pyrrha explained, gesturing at Jaune with a hand, “They’re a weapon for their owner’s use. And so using one in training is… Well, not likely to be loved, but perfectly legal.”</p><p>“So Jaune owns you now?”</p><p>“I-It’s not like-”</p><p>“He does indeed, yes, in both the letter and intent of the law.” Pyrrha cut him off, smiling pleasantly when Jaune turned to her, eyes wide. To Nora she said, “And I’m perfectly alright with that, too. Better Jaune and nobler intent than some obese drunkard wanting someone attractive for his protection. Or a sacrificial fate on the arena floor, fighting an honorless battle I’ve no hope of winning.”</p><p>“But…” Nora frowned, but to Jaune’s relief, she let her hammer go. Instead, her hand drooped limply at her side and she finished, sadly, “But you ought to be free, Pyr. Like Ren and I.”</p><p>“Yes.” Jaune nodded, relaxing back and staring up at the ceiling as he frowned. “But… I just couldn’t think of any other way to pull her out of that mess. So it’s not great, but…”</p><p>“It’s a reality that we all will have to adjust to.” Pyrrha nodded, standing and pacing past him and toward their bathroom door. “Now, if no one is opposed, I’m going to have a hot shower, a bit of a relieved cry, and then turn in.”</p><p>“I got second.” Jaune waved, letting his arm flop at his side when the door shut. After a second, he asked, “So, where’s Ren at?”</p><p>“He’s… Packing a few backpacks with supplies so we can bolt.” Nora answered sheepishly, blushing when Jaune bolted upright, his eyebrows spiking into his hair. Rubbing the back of her neck she chuckled and explained, “We, uh, we’ve had to bolt before, from places we were stayin’ at. So if something was going on… Well, we wanted to be ready, but since this is Beacon, we didn’t have bug out bags.”</p><p>“Bug out bags…?”</p><p>“Well,” Nora sighed, tapping away on the wall again before she finally shrugged and rattled out, “Ren's going through the kitchen and snagging every can o’ whatever the hell he finds that won’t spoil that we can stuff into the food bag, that's going on you Jaune, since it’s heavy.”</p><p>“Wait, that’s not fair-”</p><p>“You’re the biggest, and s’kinda on you, or would’a been, but whatever.” She shrugged and went on, “Then he’s gonna ninka up some money, unrelated, I need to sneak Winchester’s wallet back into his locker-”</p><p>“Wait, you didn’t-”</p><p>“She did.” Mort cackled, “She did and I’m here for it.”</p><p>“No comment.” Nora beamed, “And Pyrrha and I’s packs got tens, bedrolls, lighters, ya know, stuff to sleep in or cook with. Ren’s got, uh, Ren things. Like books and drugs and stuff, for when we get hurt.”</p><p>“That’s…” Pyrrha blinked, looking both impressed and amused at the same time, and turned to him, “Nice. Right, Jaune?”</p><p>“Yeah, it is, but… Well, you can have Ren come back then.” Jaune sighed, relaxing now he knew they weren’t literally about to bolt. “We won’t need ‘em, after all.”</p><p>“I’ll, uh, talk to him…” Nora promised, turning to heft Magnhild and pull the door open. “Let him know we won’t need ‘em tonight.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He blinked and, after a second, sat up, “Wait, what do you mean-” The door shutting cut him off and he sighed again, flopping back on the bed and murmuring to Mort, “What did we do to deserve this craziness, Mort?”</p><p>“Dunno.” They rasped, “But heavy, at least it's fun. Right?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.” He chuckled, “It’s fun…”</p><p>As he heard the shower start up he sat up and turned, unbuckling Mort from his waist and leaning them against the wall. While he waited on Pyrrha to get out of the shower, he could go ahead and get started on Oobleck’s reading… And maybe some research into the laws surrounding Shields, in case Winchester tried to press his luck even further than he already had done.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“But, Pyr-”</p><p>“It is my fresh duty to protect you, Master Arc.” She argued simply and pointedly, turning to him with a single raised, scarred brow and a thin quirk to her lips. He scowled at the title she used on him and the quirk bloomed into a short-lived but bright smile as she turned back to the greave she was fastening. “I can pursue my new duty far more easily in my armor. And now, I am allowed to actually wear it as I like.”</p><p>“Yeah, but-”</p><p>“How about a compromise?” Ren sighed, sounding more than merely finished with their back and forth. He spoke to Jaune first, sighing, “You’ve put this job on her shoulders, even if it was for good cause, and essentially stolen her out from under Mistral. Made her your property as opposed to theirs.”</p><p>“That’s not-”</p><p>“And she’s fine with it, for reasons we’re all aware of.” Ren went on, smiling calmly and waving Jaune down before he could get defensive. “But you could stand to be a bit more liberal in letting her enjoy the freedoms she finds, Jaune.”</p><p>“Man has a point.” Mort hissed in his ears, “And I’m not just saying that because I like the way her armor hugs her, either.”</p><p>“I… Guess you’re right about that, Ren.” And Brothers was it hard to admit to that, too. But among his faults, being prideful was one he’d been reminded of fairly often in his years. As hard as he tried to curb it, like he was doing now. </p><p>“But,” Ren said, before Pyrrha could say anything, “that doesn’t mean it's a good idea to simply stalk about in full armor, Pyrrha.”</p><p>“And why not?”</p><p>“Because you are, like, super scary.” Nora offered from the other side of the room where she was, for whatever reason, doing push-ups with Magnhild on her back. She paid the other Mistralian a smile and added, with a little half shrug, “I mean, super hot, too.”</p><p>“P-Pardon?”</p><p>“But also super scary, whether you wanna play like you don’t know damn well you’re at least a nine.” Nora finished, rolling over and sitting up on the floor. “And the problem with that is, well… Now you gotta play stupid noble games, thanks to Mister Hero over here.”</p><p>“Oi!”</p><p>“Yeah, she’s definitely my favorite.” Mort murmured, “And has a good eyed, too…”</p><p>“Oh come off it, you know I love ya, boss man.” Nora grinned, adding in as obvious an after-thought as could be, “Platonically I mean. But anyway, if you walk around like that, what do you think it’ll say about our fearless leader?”</p><p>“I’m…” Pyrrha blinked unsurely and turned to Jaune and then back to Nora, when he only shrugged. “I’m not precisely sure what you mean?”</p><p>“He means that if you walk around decked out head to toe in armor, and armed to the tits, then you’ll make Jaune look either paranoid, or like he’s on the warpath.” Nora explained shortly, “Which doesn’t look good. And right now, lookin’ good is what matters.”</p><p>“If I look confident and cool, then Winchester can’t push that I’m ready for a fight because I have a reason to be.” Jaune sighed, realizing where Ren and Nora were going. Smiling, he cocked his head and added, “You’re surprisingly good at politicking.”</p><p>“Ren or me…?”</p><p>“Yes.” Jaune answered with a chuckle, waving a hand between the two of them. “And one of these days, I want to learn just how you know so much about this kind of stuff. I was raised in it, and you seem to know more than me, sometimes.”</p><p>“To be fair, you missed out on a few years of lessons…” Mort whispered in his ear, sounding more than a little impressed. “Still, though, they are very sharp. I know some knives that could take cues from ‘em.”</p><p>“We’re just observant. Comes from being an orphan and wandering so long.” Ren dismissed easily, waving the matter off, “At any rate, Pyrrha, Jaune, you need to compromise on this.”</p><p>“I guess you’re right…” Jaune sighed, turning a look on the fully-armored woman and then asking under his breath. “But how do we even do that?”</p><p>“Oh,” Nora cackled, “I have an idea for her…”</p><p>“Well this sounds dangerous and fun.” Mort whispered in his ear, “Let’s do it! Uh, whatever it is!”</p><p>Jaune sighed and rolled his eyes and then waved for Nora to go ahead and do whatever she was thinking of.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“So?” Nora grinned half an hour later, after Pyrrha had gotten out of her armor and back into at least most of her Beacon uniform. “How’s this for a compromise? Everyone feelin’ happy? Nobody feelin’ snappy?</p><p>“I would have preferred more substantial armor...”</p><p>“Yeah, well.” Nora shrugged, “It’s better than nothin’, right.”</p><p>“I suppose so, yes…” Pyrrha sighed, turning to Jaune and asking, “Are you alright with this, then, Lord? I hadn’t considered, or asked, how my garb earlier might reflect on you so… Well, I tend to avoid making the same mistake twice.”</p><p>Nora’s compromise had been, essentially, to cut each of Pyrrha’s outfits - her uniform and her armor - in half, and just slap the two pieces onto her. Which was definitely a very Nora way to approach the problem, to say the least. So she was wearing her normal Beacon skirt, shirt and blazer. But she was wearing her thick, combat stockings under it, and her bronze greaves as well, which glinted in the sunlight filtering in through the window. Her sword and shield hung off a leather belt at her waist, too, and she wore her thick glove and forearm protector on her shield arm.</p><p>All in all, she cut a sharp, dangerous figure. </p><p>But not a bad looking one… And she did look more at ease, even in so little armor, so he couldn’t really oppose it.</p><p>“It’s…” He paused, looking her over and shrugging while he looked for the right words. “It’s definitely a good look for you, Pyr.”</p><p>“Hey, everything is a good look for her.” Nora quipped, laughing when Pyrrha flushed and turned away from her.</p><p>“She beat me by five seconds…”</p><p>“Regardless, now that that’s all settled, we should get breakfast in and head to class.” Jaune sighed, turning for the door and tugging it open. Students were milling about outside, mostly either coming from breakfast to get ready or heading out to breakfast now that they were, but none paid him any mind. “I don’t know about any of you, but I’m starving.”</p><p>“As am I.” Pyrrha smiled, stepping by and nodding for them to get along. “Pancakes, anyone?”</p><p>That, at last, got Nora really moving.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Breakfast was, to break from form for the rest of the last couple days’ events, uneventful and quiet. Sausage, breakfast, and enough hashbrowns to make a Valean farmer faint covered in cheese and thick, fried mushrooms alongside a hearty stack of walnut-packed pancakes. It was all delicious, to say the least, hand-made by some of the best cooks Vale had to offer, drawn from all of the Kingdoms. And the ingredients were so fresh, he was willing to wonder if they had cows hidden somewhere on campus, just waiting for cheese production.</p><p>And yet, for some reason, he couldn’t help but crave the fish and berries he’d frequented so often out on his own, wandering the woods…</p><p>Odd, that, but there it was.</p><p>He was almost done when he heard a familiar voice bluster familiarly, “Arc!”</p><p>“Oh boy.” Mort sighed wearily, “And things were going so well…”</p><p>“Good morning, my Lord Winchester.” He sighed, turning and resting one of his legs on the bench he and his team shared on the side of the table opposite team RWBY. Nora was on the side he’d turned on and gave him a look, one brow raised, that he shook his head to.</p><p>He didn’t need her help, nor did he want her to stop eating just for Cardin.</p><p>A fact that Jaune knew the man would take for a slight.</p><p>“My Lord Arc.” Winchester growled, clasping his hands behind his waist and meeting his eyes. He cocked his head back a bit as he turned a look on his team, from Ren to Nora, and then asked, “I was just wondering how your meeting last night went.”</p><p>“Oh?” Jaune feigned surprise and smiled, cocking his head to the side. “Concerned for me, Lord Winchester? You needn’t be. The meeting was resolved to a good end, on my part. Just a… Small misunderstanding, on someone’s part.”</p><p>“You mean allegations you cheated in the combat class spar against that crab?” Winchester smirked thinly, paying Pyrrha another look. She met his gaze with a glower and his smile widened a bit as he turned back to Jaune. I’m sure a man from such an… Illustrious and noble family as the Arc House would never do such a thing.”</p><p>“Ah.” So he wanted to try and play that game now, and in public, did he? Jaune smiled for it and shrugged, turning to take a drink and then explaining, “Actually, Lord Winchester, that was the misunderstanding.”</p><p>“Oh?” The man blinked and raised an eyebrow, and Jaune was more than aware of those at the nearby tables paying them attention. “And how is that?”</p><p>“Well you see, some absolute tit out there thought that my Shield, Miss Nikos here, aiding me in combat was cheating.” Jaune explained, smiling and turning to the young scion as he did. Cardin’s mouth was pressed into a thin line, but Jaune ignored it and said, “Luckily, the Lord Headmaster understood the problem and had it dealt with, and the Mistrali inquirer was sent home.”</p><p>“I see…”</p><p>“I’m sure.” Jaune smiled, turning his back to the man to take another drink and talking over his shoulder in a very obvious insult. He saw Pyrrha shift, turning so she could stand easily, and assumed the other noble had taken it for what it was. Smiling wider, he said, “A good thing, too. If he hadn’t, then I would have been forced to pass along a Challenge of Peerage for the slight.”</p><p>“A Challenge?” Cardin scoffed, “Over some random Mistrali trash?”</p><p>“Careful.” Jaune warned, turning a glare over his shoulder and setting a hand on Mort’s grip. Cardin was red-faced and narrow-eyed, and obviously trying not to let his temper make him snap outright, but his gesture stiled him. “I’ve spent years fighting on the frontier. Do you want to insult me like that?”</p><p>Hopefully, Cardin was smart enough not to do that...</p><p>“Is that a threat, Arc?” Winchester blustered hotly, waving a hand at the woman and turning to speak more loudly, more to the tables than to Jaune himself. “What, now you have your Mistrali slave leashed, you think we’ll all just drop to a knee for you? What next, will you strike someone that asks whether the orphans are even marriageable anymore?”</p><p>“That is it-” He made to stand, but Nora’s hand around his wrist stopped him. Jaune met her gaze and she smiled thinly and shook her head, mouthing ‘no’ at him. And so, even though it galled him, Jaune fell back onto his seat and growled, “Go away, Cardin, before I make good on my threats.”</p><p>“Oh, so high and mighty with your other pet Mistralian around to fight for you?” Cardin laughed and turned to walk off, waving a dismissive hand over his shoulders, “Because Mistralians have always treated you Arcs so well, right?”</p><p>His hand tightened around his fork until the metal bent under his force, and Nora’s fingers slid down, lacing with his own in a show of support. He appreciated it, and it was thanks to that support that he was able to bite back a retort and growl, “Stand down, Pyrrha. Winchester isn’t worth either of our blades.”</p><p>“As you say, Lord.” She answered, paying him a theatrical nod and turning her back on the man. Smiling so thinly he barely saw it, she added, “He’d pose so little challenge, in any event. I doubt I’d even need my armor…”</p><p>He heard Winchester spit another insult, and then heard his boots on the floor as he left, and sighed in relief.</p><p>“Good job.” Mort whispered, “You kept your head. He was obviously baiting you, trying to cause another incident.”</p><p>“Obviously.” Nora nodded when Jaune parroted Mort’s words for them. She gave his hand a last, friendly squeeze and tugged it free to tuck into her food again and added, “But hey, he’s an idiot, and you didn’t fall for it.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded, turning his head to look at her and smiling warmly, “Would have, though, if you hadn’t stepped in. Thanks for that.”</p><p>“No prob.” She shrugged, “I wasn’t about to let you fight for my honor, or whatever, boss. If someone insults Nora, then Nora breaks their knees herself. Nora don’t need no man steppin’ in to flex on her behalf.”</p><p>“Are we doing the third person thing again?”</p><p>“Gods, no.” Ren sighed, turning a look on Pyrrha for asking and adding, “And don’t give her ideas!”</p><p>“But Pyrrha likes giving Nora ideas…”</p><p>“And Nora likes her ideas!”</p><p>“Soodoes Yang!” The blonde across the table added, grinning when Weiss rolled her eyes. </p><p>“Oh Brothers, help me, please.” Jaune sighed, letting his head fall to the table dramatically. “Someone, save me from these crazy people…”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>For context-</p><p>A Challenge of Peerage is based on the real life Challenge of the Peerage, which was a dual. Usually to take the others stuff, over an insult, and sometimes to the death. An author named Mahina Fable has a story that features it, too, and they go into more detail on the matter. Hope over to their story, the White Knight, to get it and a good read while you’re there!</p><p>As for Cardin’s ‘marriageable’ comment in the ending scene, it’s probably common knowledge that non-virgins aren’t as easily married off in noble families. Essentially, and pardon the graphicness, he’s accusing Nora of being a whore to get by.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Smokey Panda :</p><p>Indeed! I doubt House Winchester will just let insults slide because of a legal maneuever…</p><p>GuysLord :</p><p>All good guesses, and good notes too, yeah! Glad you’re liking the story so far.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Warpath - III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>                                                     Official Supporters:   </p><p>Fanatical Fucking Reader, ScrubLord Yoda</p><p>Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin</p><p>Adeptus Militaris, Wilger</p><p>Commissioner, Gib, Espa Cole</p><p>If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : https://discord.gg/2UZncAm</p><p>Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i)scord(.)gg(slash)kfhkfUb</p><p>I have a kofi account now, too, under this name for those interested.</p><p>Beta(s) : </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Requested by:</p><p>Scrublord Yoda</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“To the ancient peoples of the world, be they Faunus or Human, there were a few things that defined life. That defined survival, even.” The Headmistress said, voice carrying around the great circle of the training arena with a practised ease and cool authority. </p><p>As she paced her small circle, she met the eyes of those in the stands, to better keep them all quiet and listening. A few quiet, already muted mutterings died down as she went, but for the most part, no one had been willing to risk talking in the first place. And as always, he found it so very impressive that a ‘mere peasant’ could engender such command and discipline from so many nobles and aristocrats.</p><p>Hopefully, when the time came, he’d have learned some lessons from her…</p><p>“Chief among these were weapons of worth to face the Grimm.” She went on, ignorant of his musings as she spoke and paced. “Spears, swords. Axes, arrows. Archaic options and, at the time, primitive to the extreme. Roughly shaped iron and bronze, turned on beasts twice the size of the men and women facing them. But we all  know how potent these relatively simple weapons can be. Many of you even today rely on them, and do so to great success.”</p><p>Quietly, he rested an appreciative hand on Mort’s hilt and heard them cackle, “Love you too, bud.”</p><p>“But as history has shown time and again, force of arms and the skill, and will, to use it do not not, and cannot, alone guarantee victory against the great enemy.” In one smooth and practiced motion she turned on a heel and snapped a hand, and her crop, out and to the side. A simple crate in the center of the arena rocketed to the side as she did, propelled by thin wisps of violet energy, and shattered on the stone of the wall. </p><p>“Aura, and Semblance.” She explained simply, returning her weapon to her waist and turning back to them. “Beyond weapons, beyond armor, even beyond tactics and skill and all else, a Hunter’s greatest tools are their Semblances and their Auras. Their proverbial sword and shield, if you will, and one that is far more difficult to have stripped away from you. And today, and through the week, at the Headmaster’s request, I am going to test each of you in your usage of it.”</p><p>“So, then.” She folded her hands behind her waist, “Who would like to go first?”</p><p>That brought exactly as many unsure murmurs and anxious glances between team members as Goodwitch must have expected it to. </p><p>He might not have been the most informed on the matter, but even he knew that few people liked to advertise their Semblances. And not merely because it could be embarrassing, since most of them would either not have their Semblances mastered just yet. Or might not have them at all, as Jaune himself didn’t. But it could also be dangerous for young nobles to do that, as they would be advertising their strengths and weaknesses to many people that might one day want them very dead.</p><p>He flicked a look across the arena to Winchester, who met his gaze for a moment and then scowled and looked away. So he had been thinking the same thing…</p><p>But such wasn’t a problem for non-nobility, obviously, and so the obvious person shot to her feet, bouncing on her heels and almost shouting, “Oh, oh! Me first, me first!”</p><p>“Ah. Miss Valkyrie.” The Headmistress just barely managed not to sigh. Smiling, the woman nodded and waved for her to come down. “Very well, please come down and show us what you can do.”</p><p>“Um…” The woman hummed and rocked on her hips, “I kinda… Need stuff to use mine?”</p><p>“I have an aid in each of the locker rooms responsible for supplying such.” The headmistress assured her, and all of them as well. “Let them know your needs, and I assure you, we will have them fulfilled.”</p><p>“Kay~!”</p><p>“So…” Jaune started after she’d bounced away and vanished around a corner and into the hallway that led to the locker rooms. “What’s her Semblance, exactly? Just curious.”</p><p>“Nora can absorb electricity, and use it to make herself stronger.” Ren explained with a quiet sigh after the briefest moment’s hesitation. Waving a hand the way Nora had gone, he went on. “She and I were walking along the high ways, along Mistral’s eastern coasts where the forest falls away into sheer cliffs over the ocean. We were chatting, and she lifted the old sledge hammer she had back then, and… Got hit by lightning.”</p><p>“She…”</p><p>“...Got hit by lightning?” Pyrrha finished for him, sounding surprised and a little… Confused by the idea. “As in, actual lightning?”</p><p>“Mhm.” He nodded, smiling wistfully at the old memory as he recalled it. “It split the cliff, too, and nearly tossed us down into the ocean. Nora managed to get us out of the way, in the end, but… It was certainly a crazy thursday.”</p><p>“I bet…” Mort rasped in his ear, “Grimm’s blood, but Semblances are ridiculous sometimes. What next, someone who gets stronger if you shoot them?” Idly, he looked down a couple of rows at the back of Yang’s head, and heard Mort sigh sufferingly. “Right…”</p><p>A few minutes later, Nora paced out into the ring, Magnhild extended and laid across her broad shoulders. She had her hands draped lazily over the weapon’s shaft, and a wide, lazy, but eager grin. Which contrasted nicely with the pair of baton wielding droids pacing along mechanically behind her. He heard a handful of murmurs around him from the watching crowd, wondering what she was up to or what the droids were for, but they fell silent when Goodwitch cleared her throat.</p><p>“Well, Miss Valkyrie…” The Headmistress paused, as if looking for the right words, and then went on, “Would you like to explain what you can do, or get on to the test?”</p><p>“Eh, I was always told ‘show, don’t tell’.”</p><p>“I’m fairly certain that was not in regards to this, but…” The Headmistress sighed and shrugged the matter off, “Proceed.”</p><p>“Yes ma’am!” Nora nodded, turning to the woman and measuring the scant food or two between them with her eyes. Then she smiled and brought her hammer around, resting its head on the ground and waving for the older woman to back away. “Don’t want ‘cha to get caught up, ya know.”</p><p>“Please, do not destroy my arena…” Goodwitch sighed, turning and marching to the other end, where she leaned against a wall.</p><p>“Alright, ladies!” Nora crowed in her best drill sergeant esque voice, grinning ear to ear and resting a foot on Magnhild’s head. Spread her arms wide, she leaned back and said, “Hit me with your best shot! Let’s get zappy in here!”</p><p>“Oh for the love of…” Ren groaned, hiding his face in his hands, “And this is why I don’t let her buy games without telling me what it is first.”</p><p>“I’m confused…” </p><p>“As am I.”</p><p>“Thirdsies.”</p><p>Regardless of their confusion, Ren was not in a hurry to explain the context. But judging from his flushed face, maybe that was for the best. Whatever might have been the case, a ragged, energized scream yanked his attention back to the arena. And drew his hand to the pommel of his sword, as well.</p><p>Both the droids had driven their batons into Nora’s stomach, and she was doubled over for it, body spasming as currents of electricity arced through her. One hand still held Magnhild’s handle, and the current carried through it, sparking out over the ground. The machines holding the weapons weren’t faring terribly well, either. Whatever the hell kind of stun batons those were supposed to be, they were overloading from the continuous use. And the electrical arcs were crawling up and through the machines. Dull grey armor sizzled and turned red and then white while circuits sparked.</p><p>Before either of the machines could finally spark and die, Nora turned, heaving Magnhild around in one hand faster than she ever had in two. The heavy instrument slammed into each of the machines and crushed them easily, and then carried down, cracking the concrete under her for the force of the blow.</p><p>“Whooooo wee, what a rush!” Nora crowed, straightening and planting the head of the weapon back on the ground. Her chest was heaving, and her hair was standing on end in places, but while anyone else would have died from that kind of treatment, she only looked energized. She hefted her hammer in one hand and turned, pointing it at team Cardinal and calling out, “Wanna try an’ mess with my team now, little man?”</p><p>“Miss Valkyrie-”</p><p>“Cuz I can bench press a car right now!” Nora went on, slamming the head down into the floor and pacing forward with her arms spread to either side. “C’mon, winny! Lemm crush that head o’ yours! I’ll even let ya pick, hands or thighs!”</p><p>“Miss Valkyrie, that is more than enough!” The Headmistress finally snapped, stalking forward and flicking her crop to yank Magnhild, and thus Nora, around to face her. “You will stop this provocation right now.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Nora grunted and so did Goodwitch until the Headmistress suddenly staggered back and Nora brought Magnhild up to rest on a shoulder, apparently free of the older Huntress’ Semblance. Grinning viciously, she asked, “And who's gonna make me?”</p><p>“Uh oh…” Mort hissed, “Arc, get closer. I can Calm her with a spell.”</p><p>Jaune stood but, as if he’d been there all along, Ren slipped to Nora’s side and laid a hand on her shoulder. She blinked and stiffened, and then suddenly went limp and staggered to the side. She landed on her knees with magnhild in front of her and held onto the weapon for dear life while Ren got between the two women.</p><p>“Apologies, Headmistress Goodwitch.” The apparently incredibly fast man said, bowing his head and straightening smoothly. “Sometimes, if something is bothering her and she takes too much energy in, she can… Lose her head, like that.”</p><p>“A side effect of her Semblance?” Ren nodded and Goodwitch sighed, slipping her crop into a loop on her waist and flicking a look to a still confused looking Cardin. When he realized she was looking to him to dismiss the threats, he pursed his lips and flicked a look to Jaune.</p><p>Jaune, for his part, stood and laid his hand on the top of Mort’s pommel in a more than obvious threat.</p><p>“If she couldn’t help it, I guess I can be the bigger person.” Winchester finally waved the matter off, either unwilling to risk fighting Jaune or unwilling to risk fighting Pyrrha. Crossing his arms, he called over, “So long as Lord Arc can at least keep her hands well enough away from me, that is.”</p><p>“I can.” Jaune promised, taking his seat and grumbling under his breath. “And her thighs too, sick bastard…”</p><p>“I do not think he was implying he’d like to be crushed by those either, my lord…” Pyrrha murmured confusedly. “After all, who would?”</p><p>“Not even gonna say it. Nope.” Mort rasped, “It’s too damn easy.”</p><p>“Yeah well… You’re probably right, I guess.” Jaune supposed he’d been online more often than Pyrrha, then, even with his wanderings. Whatever the case, “At least it’s settled.”</p><p>“And in a rather peaceful way, too.” Pyrrha smiled, and then flushed a bit when Jaune turned a look on her, one brow raised questioningly, “I… Well, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen today.”</p><p>“Like….?”</p><p>“I fear I do not know.” Pyrrha answered quietly, “It was only a gut feel-”</p><p>“Lord Arc!” He blinked and stood on instinct borne out of years of training under a tutor who would regularly call on him in such a way. The Headmistress’ lips quirked at that, amused, but she ignored it and simply waved for him to join her on the arena floor. “Your teammate made a good showing of herself, sans the ending drama. So perhaps it would be in order for you to be the next?”</p><p>“I…” Really didn’t want to, for a litany of reasons, but he didn’t feel like this was one of those questions he could say no to. Instead he shrugged and turned, heading down the steps and calling out, “As you like, my Lady.”</p><p>It took him less than a few minutes to get into the locker room and pull on his armor. He didn’t need the equipment, of course, but putting it on gave him time. To think, and of course, to talk.</p><p>“I still think something like Fire Wall or Fireball would be the best.” Mort muttered while Jaune tugged on his mail, making sure the fastenings would hold. It was an obvious waste of effort, frankly, but habits were habits. “And we have shown off Fire Wall before, so that probably won’t impress many people.”</p><p> “I’m not worried about impressing people, Mort.” He said, glad the aid had left when he asked him to so he could get changed. “I just want to show off something good enough not to shame the name, and get it over with.”</p><p>“Hey, that rhymed…”</p><p>“Could you focus, please?” He sighed, shaking his head and drawing the sword. Looking at it like he often did before he needed to use it, he said, “This is important.”</p><p>“Fire Ball.” His friend answered quietly after a moment. “Impressive enough to make a good showing, but not too impressive.”</p><p>“You sure?” He asked, brow furrowing as he sheathed the sword and set it on his waist. “It doesn’t sound very low noise, if you know what I mean… And I don’t want to have to answer any hard questions. I’m sure you don’t, either.”</p><p>“I don’t.” Mort agreed, “Last time I had to, I… Well, let’s just say it didn’t go that well for me, and leave it there.”</p><p>“As you like, Mort. As you like.” Mort had a lot of secrets, and a long, sad past, Jaune knew. He didn’t know exactly what had made it either long or sad, but he wasn’t going to press his friend for stories they weren’t ready to tell. Resting his hand on the grip of his weapon, he sighed, “So… Fire Ball?”</p><p>“Just channel.” They ordered quietly, “I’ll handle the rest.”</p><p>“Yep.” He nodded as he turned to leave, “Just like the norm.”</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>“Yep.” The young man’s voice, laced in static from the hidden camera but nonetheless recognizable even without the grainy footage that was broken up by the grating on the unused locker. “Just like the norm.”</p><p>“So… What?” His most trusted field worker grunted, sitting in a spare chair with his feet resting on Ozpin’s desk. Which annoyed him, but then, Qrow wouldn’t be here for that long. So he could stomach it. “Kid has a strong Semblance ‘n uses nerd talk to describe it.”</p><p>“And talks to his sword.” Ozpin added, smiling. “A sword he uses the exact name I said he might use for it.”</p><p>“Mort Noire is a known thing.” Qrow argued, folding his arms over his chest and frowning deeply. “S’not the most famous Arc sword, sure, but it’s there in the records. And why would he give it a new name?”</p><p>“Qrow…”</p><p>“Look, Oz, my job’s investigating things for you.” The man grunted, dropping his feet onto the floor with heavy thuds and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. All the better to meet Ozpin’s eyes. “Investigation means you don't jump to conclusions. So sorry, but I ain’t convinced by a name s’been known for a century at least, and a convenient Semblance.”</p><p>“And if I am?” Ozpin raised a brow, “He showed off some remarkable power in the training session I arranged as well.</p><p>“Then I’ll tail the kid like you want.” Qrow shrugged, “But my job is to advise you, yeah?”</p><p>“It is, yes.” Ozpin nodded. He knew what was best, of course, or at least better than the young man did. But it went a long way in keeping them on side, hearing out his allies’ concerns and aiming them at what best aligned to their own desires and beliefs.</p><p>It was manipulation, of course, but… Well, it worked, typically.</p><p>“But I will need you to trust me when I say this is what I told you it was, and that Lord Arc needs an eye kept on him.” Ozpin argued quietly, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers in an old, familiar way of prayer that had long since vanished into the oblivion of forgotten history. Even he’d forgotten its origin… All he knew was it was comforting, for some reason. Refocusing, he went on, “And I mean that in his own interests as well. If the great enemy hears of its presence…”</p><p>“She’ll send someone sniffing for it.” Qrow nodded, “Yeah, I know. I get the idea, but I just… I dunno. I feel like I could be doin’ more movin’ than I can followin’ some kid around.”</p><p>“If it helps, this is aimed towards our Fall concerns as well.” Ozpin offered, “Arc has two young women on his team. Miss Nikos wants to be free of the Arena. And Miss Valkyrie… Well, she wants to protect her friends and eat sweet food.”</p><p>“A simple girl.” Qrow nodded, “But simple ain’t bad.”</p><p>“No, no.” Ozpin chuckled, shaking his head and tapping a foot aimlessly. “Simple isn’t bad at all. It’s rather good, actually. Someone looking for wealth and power is easily swayed to her side.”</p><p>“So.” Qrow grunted, “Keep an eye on the little Lord, and scout his lady friends out for candidates?”</p><p>“Indeed.” Ozpin nodded, turning to look out his window and watch the clouds drift by. “Do favor Miss Nikos, though. She’s a more honor focused sort, and an adept combatant besides. Miss Valkyrie is more the brawler of the two.”</p><p>“Arena’ll do that, among a fuck ton of other shit, yeah.” Qrow nodded, standing, “I’ll get on it tomorrow, if ya don’t mind. Gonna visit Ruby tonight.”</p><p>“And Miss Xiao Long…”</p><p>“I mean, yeah.” The man scoffed, shaking his head and heading for the elevator. “They live in the same dorm, Oz. Duh.”</p><p>Ozpin only rolled his eyes and not for the first time wondered how someone so obvious could also be such an adept agent... </p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Oooooh.</p><p>They plottin’.</p><p>XxX----XxX----XxX</p><p>Mog the Gnome :</p><p>I work with what CRWBY gives me, lol.</p><p>Smokey Panda :</p><p>Nora best girl confirmed? No, wait, Weiss exists…</p><p>Screaming Stuka :</p><p>Crocea Mors is tied to the backstory of his disinheritance. It will come up eventually, no worries!</p>
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